Editorial Type:
Article Category: Research Article
 | 
Online Publication Date: 29 May 2020

Effect of Tread Design Changes on Tire Patch Dynamics at High Speeds Using a Dynamic Contact Force Measurement Rig

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Page Range: 242 – 258
DOI: 10.2346/tire.20.190216
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ABSTRACT

The dynamic effects at the tire contact patch are one of the most difficult factors of a tire to measure. Generally, only the total forces at the tire axle are captured during the tests. There are a few methods for identifying the force distribution at the tire contact patch, but most of these methods are limited to static tests or dynamic tests at slow speeds under nonrepeatable conditions, such as with vehicle testing. Because of this limitation, A&D Company, Limited has developed a tire-testing machine called the dynamic contact force testing rig (DCFR) to measure the dynamic force distribution at the contact patch during high speeds and under reproducible conditions. Preliminary studies have shown that minute changes in shear stress and pressure distribution can be measured consistently. This study observes the dynamic force distribution in a high-performance tire under a variety of test conditions: varying normal load, speed, slip angle, and slip ratio. The tire tread was altered manually by siping additional longitudinal and lateral slits in the existing tread pattern. The tests were repeated for each tread pattern: stock tire tread, additional longitudinal slits, and additional lateral slits. The change in force distribution was compared along the longitudinal, lateral, and vertical axes. The results showed how small changes in tread design can influence tire performance. This article is a preliminary study, primarily investigating the capabilities of the DCFR while investigating basic observable trends in force distribution.

Keywords: tire dynamics; contact patch; dynamic contact force; tire-testing procedure development and application; test validation; model validation
FIG. 1
FIG. 1

Example of measured forces at tire axle versus generated forces at road surface.

FIG. 2
FIG. 2

Picture of the dynamic contact force rig (DCFR) by A&D Company, Limited.

FIG. 3
FIG. 3

Illustration of the data-capturing process.

FIG. 4
FIG. 4

Illustration of the postprocessing method to assemble the complete contact patch.

FIG. 5
FIG. 5

Example of potential data samples, showing differences between longitudinal and lateral resolution.

FIG. 6
FIG. 6

Picture of the three tires used: stock (no sipe), longitudinal sipe, and lateral sipe.

FIG. 7
FIG. 7

Example data showing the dynamic forces at the contact patch.

FIG. 8
FIG. 8

Summary of dynamic contact forces experienced in tests 2 and 4 for stock tire.

FIG. 9
FIG. 9

Summary of dynamic contact forces experienced in tests 1, 2, and 3 for stock tire.

FIG. 10
FIG. 10

Contour plot of the difference in normal load between tests 3 and 1.

FIG. 11
FIG. 11

Summary of lateral forces experienced in tests 5 and 6 for each tire.

FIG. 12
FIG. 12

Summary of normal forces experienced in tests 5 and 6 for each tire.

FIG. 13
FIG. 13

Summary of longitudinal forces experienced in tests 5 and 7 for each tire.

FIG. 14
FIG. 14

Summary of normal forces experienced in tests 5 and 7 for each tire.

Contributor Notes

1 Corresponding author. A&D Technology, Inc., 4622 Runway Boulevard, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, USA. Email: mvangennip@aanddtech.com
2 A&D Company, Limited, 1-243 Asahi, Kitamoto-Shi, Saitama, 364-8585, Japan
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