Editorial Type:
Article Category: Research Article
 | 
Online Publication Date: 31 Mar 2020

Variable Modulus Approach to Optimize Tire Rolling Resistance

,
,
, and
Page Range: 39 – 54
DOI: 10.2346/tire.19.180200
Save
Download PDF

ABSTRACT

Tire rolling resistance plays a vital role in a vehicle's fuel consumption, which needs to be continuously optimized. Such targets can be met only through the combination of advanced processing of materials and new technologies together with innovative tire designs. Achieving the optimal rolling resistance of a tire requires effective distribution of the rolling loss contributor (i.e., the resultant of the modulus, volume, and dissipation). The contribution of the three tire deformation states (e.g., equal strain, equal stress, and equal energy) on the tire's rolling loss vary with the modulus. As proposed in the literature[1–3], the deformation index has proven to be a useful tool for identifying different states of deformation in the tire. This approach is explored in this article.

Within the context of the nonlinear finite element method, a novel approach is proposed for optimization of tire rolling resistance. The proposed approach is implemented on both passenger car and commercial vehicle tires, including cross-ply tires. As a result of this concept, up to 10% improvement in rolling resistance has been achieved, depending on the chosen tire. The developed procedure has been implemented in the commercial finite element simulation tool Abaqus and hence can be directly used as a design tool for any tire the during predesign phase itself.

Keywords: deformation index; rolling resistance; nonlinear finite element analysis
FIG. 1
FIG. 1

Summarized look of researchers on heat generation, rolling resistance, and deformation index.

FIG. 2
FIG. 2

Energy loss under cyclic deformations for different states of deformation.

FIG. 3
FIG. 3

Rolling resistance comparison between simulation and actual test.

FIG. 4
FIG. 4

Distribution of volume fraction and energy loss fraction in 175/65R14 tire.

FIG. 5
FIG. 5

Deformation index plot for cross-ply tire (tire B).

FIG. 6
FIG. 6

Schematic representation of the proposed methodology.

FIG. 7
FIG. 7

Distribution of material in tire cross section for cross-ply tire (tire B).

FIG. 8
FIG. 8

Tread material distribution: base design (a), proposal 1 (b), and proposal 2 (c).

FIG. 9
FIG. 9

Temperature profile (tire B): base design (a) and proposed design (b).

FIG. 10
FIG. 10

Deformation index contour (tire B): base design (a) and proposed design (b).

FIG. 11
FIG. 11

Rolling resistance (normalized) between base design and proposed design.

FIG. 12
FIG. 12

Deformation index contour comparison between tire with tread compounds: T1 (a), T2 (b), T3 (c), and T4 (d).

FIG. 13
FIG. 13

Comparison of tire performance parameters (normalized) between base design and design proposals.

FIG. 14
FIG. 14

Temperature profile: base design (a), proposal 1 (b), and proposal 2 (c).

Contributor Notes

1 Hari Shankar Singhania Elastomer and Tyre Research Institute, Plot 437, Hebbal Industrial Area, Mysore, Karnataka, 570016, India
2 Corresponding author. Email: mangalamshivam@jkmail.com
3 J K Tyre and Industries Limited, Plot 437, Hebbal Industrial Area, Mysore, Karnataka, 570016, India
  • Download PDF