Abstract

The spring characteristics of a radial tire loaded on a crossbar put on a roadway was analyzed with a spring bedded ring model. Nonlinear radial and tangential spring effects of the sidewall and large deformation of the tread were considered. The tread curvature in the cross section was found to be the most important structural factor for elucidating the enveloping properties of a radial tire in contact with a crossbar. Experimental verifications of the spring effect and the tread deformation of a radial tire were in good agreement with the theoretical predictions.