Selection of Tyres for BAJA Vehicle

by

Rajesh Mankar
Manager Product Development
J K TYRE AND INDUSTRIES LTD

Sunday, 10th August 2008

Agenda:
History, Tyre Definition & Classification

Function of Tyre
Defining Basic Dimensions Tyre Construction Tyre selection criteria based on Vehicle info and performance New Development Approach

History Of Tyre:
1844 1888 1895 Charles Goodyear invented vulcanized rubber that was later used for tires. John Dunlop invented the air-filled or pneumatic tires for bicycles. Andr Michelin was the first person to use pneumatic tires on an automobile, however, not successfully. Philip Strauss invented the first successful tire, which was a combination tire and air filled inner tube. P.W. Litchfield of the Goodyear Tire Company patented the first tubeless tire, Mountable rims were introduced that allowed drivers to fix their own flats. Frank Seiberling invented grooved tires with improved road traction. B.F. Goodrich Company invented longer life tires by adding carbon to the rubber.

1901 1903 1904 1908 1910

What Is Tyre:
Geometrically tyre is a torus reinforced with textile cord ply / fabric or steel

carcass enclosing bead ring.

Mechanically it is a flexible membrane pressure container Structurally it is a high performance composite

Chemically a material composed of long chain of macromolecules

TYRE SIZE DESIGNATION:

A Tyre is generally designated by its nominal cross section code followed by the nominal rim diameter code. For radial tyres,

145/80R13 Section width (mm) Aspect Ratio Nominal Rim Dia (inch)

Tyre Size Designation:

Enveloped Dimension: 145/80R13
Section Height
Section Width

Section Width 145 mm Aspect Ratio 80 Rim Diameter 13

Outer Diameter = (2 x Section Height in mm) + Rim Diameter in mm

Aspect Ratio

Section Height = 145*0.8 = 116 mm Outer Diameter = (2*116) + (13*25.4) =562.2 mm

Basic Tyre Dimensions:

Tyre Section

Function Of Tyre:
Provide Load Carrying Capacity Provide Cushioning and dampening Transmit driving and braking torque Provide Cornering force Provide floatation and dimensional stability Resist abrasion

Generate steering response

Have low Rolling Resistance Provide minimum noise and minimum vibration Be durable throughout and expected life spam

Tyre Construction:

BIAS

RADIAL

TUBE TYPE

TUBELESS

Contd

Tyre Construction:
BIAS RADIAL

Cord strips are arranged diagonally to the

centerline of the tire.

Plies are laid at 90 degree angles to centerline of tire

Positive Qualities - strengthens the sidewall and stabilizes the tread area for contact patch.

More sidewall movement and a smoother ride Last longer than bias ply tires

Negative Qualities Builds up excessive heat; very stiff and hard riding; get flat spots after sitting in one spot and cooling down.

Tyre Construction:
RADIAL

Tyre Construction:
BIAS

Tyre Construction:
ADVANTAGE OF RADIAL TYRES 50 - 100% LONGER LIFE - REDUCED COST PER KILOMETER 5 - 10% FUEL SAVING PUNCTURE RESISTANT - LESS DOWN TIME RIDING COMFORT AND REDUCED CARGO DAMAGE

EXCELLENT HIGH SPEED CAPABILITY

EXCELLENT DAMPENING OF VIBRATIONS EXCELLENT TRACTION & BRAKING ON BOTH DRY AND WET ROAD

Tyre Construction:
Tubeless Technology A
tubeless tyre is designed with a Halobutyl liner on the inner side which is applied from bead to bead. The Bead contour of tubeless tyres are designed to provide a self sealing mechanism between the tyre and rim.

Tube Type
A tube Type tyre running at reduced
pressures generates more heat and is more prone to damage. A tube type tyre is often easier to repair in the bush than a tubeless one, because they are easier to remove from the rim and are much easier to re- inflate Tubes do not strengthen the tyre or help prevent punctures.

ADVANTAGE OF TUBELESS TYRES:

Lower Rolling resistance

Better handling Characteristics at high speeds

It is also reported, that air leakage after puncture is slower in tubeless tyres than tubetype tyres thus making tubeless tyres safer.

Tyre selection criteria based on Vehicle Application and performance

Based on Vehicle Application:

Passenger Car

SUV

MUV

Light commercial Vehicle

Heavy commercial Vehicle

Based on Vehicle Dimensions / Load / Speed:

Wheel Base Tread Ground Clearance

FAW / RAW Kerb Weight Gross Vehicle Weight

Empty Vehicle Weight

Pay Load Load Distribution

Tyre Selection Criteria Based on Performance:

Economics - Mileage - Rolling Resistance

Handling -Tire Characteristics - Cornering

Comfort - Mechanical Comfort (flat spot) - Acoustic Comfort

Safety - Max. driving safety under various conditions (dry, wet, winter, etc.)

Effect of component on Tyre Performance:

Internal Factor HYSTERESIS LOSS Rubber External Factor ROAD TEXTURE AND ROUGHNESS

ASPECT RATIO
RIM WIDTH TYRE SIZE TYRE TYPE

AERODYNAMIC DRAG
NOISE AIR CAVITY PUMPING INFLATION PRESSURE

TREAD PATTERN
TREAD RADIUS TREAD THICKNESS TREAD DEPTH CORD ANGLE NUMBER OF BODY PLIES CONSTRUCTION

EFFECT OF SPEED
EFFECT OF LOAD EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE EFFECT OF INNER TUBE

Predictive Methods to Optimize Tyre Design:

Feel the power of FEA Simulation

An FEA simulation revealing Inter carcass pressure acting Inside the tyre

A Simulation showing strain energy Distribution under loading

Predictive Methods to Optimize Tyre Design:

Tyres determine to a great extent the dynamic behavior of road vehicles.

Our attempt is to assist in bringing optimized synergy between the mechanical characteristics of tyre in contact with the road & the mechanics of the vehicle so that tyrevehicle system operates safely under any circumstances & in a way that is satisfactory to the driver.

Other Methods to Optimize Tyre Design:

Force & Moment Test Machine

Tyre Selection Criteria Based on Performance:

Rolling Resistance Mechanical Energy converted into Heat by a tire moving for a unit distance on the roadway as a result of the rotation and the deformation of the tire Energy Consumed per unit distance of travel as a tire rolls under load Resistance to Motion The amount of energy required overcoming the friction between the tyre and road surface.
The RR of a tire is responsible for 14.4% of the total vehicle energy loss. For passenger and light truck, Improvement in rolling resistance of 10% - Fuel efficiency increased by 0.5 ~ 1.5% and for heavy truck fuel efficiency increased by 1.5 ~ 3.0%

Contd

Tyre Selection Criteria Based on Performance:

Rolling Resistance

% Contribution to RR

Tread Belt

2% 2% <2%

8%

7%

48%

Inner Liner Sidewall Ply Filler

7% 26%

Rim Strip Bead & Chafer

Rolling Resistance Testing Machine

Tyre Selection Criteria Based on Performance:

Tyre Traction
Traction performance can be characterized in many ways, including braking, acceleration, cornering, controllability, Direction of travel

Load

and grade climbing. Though all factors are important, the

single best indicator of tire performance is braking distance and deceleration.
PARAMETER TARGET PRIORITY PRIMARY APPROACH SECONDARY APPROACH IMPORTANT TRACTION (WET & DRY) IMPROVED TRACTION WITHOUT SACRIFICING TREAD LIFE INTERMEDIATE TREAD COMPOUND OPTIMIZATION CASING DESIGN OPTIMIZATION

Traction

TO CONTROL TENDENCY OF WANDERING & STEERING PULL WHILE BRAKING OEMs ARE EMPHASIZING THE NEED TO ACHIEVE A STABLE CONTACT PATCH WHICH DOES NOT CHANGE ITS CENTRE DURING BRAKING

Tyre Traction Subjective & Objective Evaluation

Tyre Selection Criteria Based on Performance:

Tyre Wear Factors affecting Tyre Wear
Improper Vehicle toe, camber, caster, drive axle parallelism and perpendicularity are important factors tire wear patterns.

PARAMETER TARGET PRIORITY PRIMARY APPROACH SECONDARY APPROACH

TREAD MILEAGE (WEAR) FURTHER IMPROVEMENT REQUIRED INTERMEDIATE TREAD DESIGN / DEPTH OPTIMIZATION TREAD FORMULATION OPTIMIZATION INCREASED USE OF POLYBUTADIENE AND OPTIMIZED SOLUTION SBR

Tyre Wear Predictive Methods: Fujifilm Footprint pressure distribution study

Structure

Pressure Application

Pressure Mapping

Pressure Imaging and Analysis

Foot Print Pressure Distribution study revealed higher pressure at Shoulder blocks than at center.

Tyre Wear Predictive Methods:

Thermography
Celsius 500.00 72.47 70.00 68.00 66.00 62.00 Measurement of surface 60.00 temperature in the tyre 58.00 56.00 using a thermo graphic 54.00 camera and fine tuning 52.00 50.00 the related parameters -20.03 48.74 during the development Th em r o tekn x i process 64.00
60.00

Line 1 Length 11

Celsius 500.00 70.00

Line 1 Length 11

65.00

55.00

Area 1 Max. Avg. Min. 72.56 67.81 62.69 VisIR 15:00:51 03/05/2004 e : 1.00 Bg : 20.0C

50.00

Area 1 Max. Avg. Min. 67.58 62.97 58.19

-20.03 45.00

T h em r o tekn x i VisIR 15:04:21 03/05/2004 e : 1.00 Bg : 20.0C

Img480: Line 1
72.5 70.1 67.7 65.4 63.0 60.6 58.2 55.8 53.5 51.1 48.7 0 5 10 15

Temperature / C

Distance / Meters

Min Temperature 62.69 Max Temperature 72.56

Min Temperature 58.19 Max Temperature 67.58

Cornering Stiffness Testing

Tyre Selection Criteria Based on Performance:

Tyre Ride & Handling Performance
PARAMETER TARGET PRIORITY PRIMARY APPROACH RIDE & HANDLING PERFORMANCE FURTHER IMPROVEMENT REQUIRED INTERMEDIATE PATTERN DESIGN ENGINEERING (NOISE) CASING DESIGN ENGINEERING (CONSTRUCTION, MATERIALS & CONTOUR IN ORDER OF PRIORITY) TREAD COMPOUND OPTIMIZATION (INITIATION OF VERTICAL ENGINEERING IMPLEMENTATION (VEHICLE & TYRE DESIGNERS WORKING CLOSELY FROM THE INCEPTION STAGE))

SECONDARY APPROACH

Tyre Ride, Comfort & Handling Performance

Tyre Ride, Comfort & Handling Performance

Breaking Strength

Stiffness Test Station

Rapid Prototyping

2D - Pattern

3D - Model Tyre testing fitted on vehicle

Marking

Hand Carving

Functional Parameters:
Rubber Compound and Chemicals: a) Natural Rubber b) Synthetic Rubber c) Carbon Black d) Silica e) Fabric f) Steel Cords

Functional Parameters: Tread Pattern:

RIB PATTERN : The pattern along the circumference of the tyre
Good points : Lower rolling resistance. Good directional stability and steering control thanks to lateral resistance. Suitable for sustained high speeds thanks to low heat generation. Bad points : Poor braking & acceleration grip on wet roads. Stress caused by flex means tread is more susceptible to cracking. Use : For paved road surfaces and the steering wheels of trucks or buses

LUG PATTERN : The groove pattern perpendicular to the circumference of the tyre
Good points : Excellent braking & driving power. Superior traction.

Bad points : Noisy at high speed. It's not suitable for high speed driving because of high rolling resistance.
Uses : For dirt roads, rear wheels of buses, industrial vehicles and dump trucks .

Functional Parameters: Tread Pattern:

SEMI-LUG PATTERN : The combination of Rib-shape & Lug-shape
Features : The rib in the centre provides directional control whilst the shoulder lug gives good braking & driving power. Uses : Good for both paved and dirt roads. Usually used in both front & rear wheels of trucks and buses.

BLOCK PATTERN : The pattern of independent block which the groove is connected with
each other Good points : Good steering control and stability on snow covered and wet roads. Good water dispersal properties on wet roads. Bad points : Tyre wear is heavy as tread blocks are finer. Uses : Suitable for winter or all-season passenger car tyres. Suitable for backwheel of Radial tyre of ordinary car .

Functional Parameters: Tread Pattern:

ASYMMETRIC PATTERN : Tread pattern differs on either side
Good points : Good for high speed cornering thanks to greater contact area. Reduces tread-wear on outside of tyre. Bad points : You must position them the right way around. Uses : High performance and motorsport tyres.

DIRECTIONAL PATTERN : Lateral grooves on both sides point the same direction.
Good points : Good driving force and braking performance. Good water dispersal means good stability on wet roads. Correct choice for fast driving styles.

Features : mounted in direction of tread pattern.

Uses : the passenger car tyre for high speed usage.

Functional Parameters:
Tyre Components: Tread Belt and Breakers Cap Ply/ Prot Ply Carcass Side Wall Bead Chafer Filler

Functional Parameters:
Tread
Tread is the wear resistance component of the tyre, when it is contacting with the road. It must also provide traction, wet skid and good cornering characteristics with minimum noise generation and low heat buildup. It is the part through which braking, driving and cornering forces are transmitted.

Belts
These are short plies of rubber coated steel cut at an angle and are positioned centrally between the tyre casing and tread to strengthen carcass against impacts.

Cap Ply
It is placed in the crown area just below the tread rubber. It provides cut resistance protection to the underlying belts and carcass plies. Enhances high-speed suitability.

Functional Parameters:
Carcass
Rubber bonded cord structure of a tyre integral with the bead, which provides the required strength to carry load.

Sidewall
Part of the tyre between bead and tread which flexes in service. Protects the casing from side scuffing, control vehicle and ride characteristics and assist in tread support

Bead Core
A bead should hold the tyre against the rim and should avoid the movement of the tyre relative to rim. The shape and contour of the bead conforms to the flange of the rim, thus preventing from rocking or slipping on to the rim.

Functional Parameters:
Filler
Gives steering precision Improves comfort

Chafer
To prevent chafing action between bead and rim. Their purpose is to protect the carcass plies from damage when mounting or dismounting and to reduce the effects of wear and chafing between the wheel and the tire bead

Thank You
rajeshmankar@jkmail.com

09971492958