Abstract

The development and application of a diagonally braked vehicle test technique has yielded insights into factors known to affect pneumatic tire traction such as certain tire parameters (including size, construction, and tread pattern) and pavement properties (including surface finish and the type and extent of contamination). This paper reviews the effects of tire and surface characteristics on available traction, discusses how the test results could be applied to estimate aircraft stopping performance under low traction conditions, and concludes with comments relative to possible future application of the diagonally braked vehicle.