A smoother road for tyre development

A smoother road for tyre development

A more advanced computer model and measurement approach enable manufacturers to more accurately predict tyre performance on the road. Developed by an EU-funded project, the model and approach could aid in the design of higher-performing, safer and quieter tyres and boost the industry's competitiveness.

In the development of tyres, such simulations serve to predict actual performance as closely as possible. They are also used by vehicle manufacturers, who run them to assess how new models will perform on different roads and with different types of tyres.Manufacturers use computer simulations as a less expensive, risk-free way to predict how new products – or changes to existing ones – would behave under real-life conditions.

Up until now, there has, however, been a gap in knowledge about how tyres vibrate and emit noise when rolling. This gap meant that simulation models were not as accurate as they could be, potentially holding back the development of higher-performing, quieter tyres. Adequate measurement approaches to identify the noise and vibration patterns of rolling tyres were also lacking.

The EU-funded project TIRE-DYN has produced a new, more advanced tyre model and an innovative measurement approach to address these challenges. Developed for use in existing software stimulations, the model is based on information on rolling tyres under a variety of conditions. It was developed and validated by data collected using a special rig that allows manufacturers to measure noise and vibration levels on rolling tyres.

Precision predictions

The new model could lead to better designs for more efficient tyres and vehicles, increased comfort for passengers, and less urban noise from traffic, say project coordinators Wim Desmet and Bert Pluymers of KU Leuven in Belgium.

One of the project’s two industrial partners has packaged the novel modelling and testing expertise into its commercial software package currently on the market. Another project partner, a major European tyre manufacturer, is also using the techniques in its design processes, say Desmet and Pluymers.

“TIRE-DYN’s tyre model would help manufacturers cut down on the number of iterations between the design and test prototypes – a way to reduce costs and increase innovation,” they note.

Measuring on the roll

Less is more when it comes to noise and vibration; both affect safety and comfort, and so are important considerations when it comes to buying a vehicle; both are also partly produced by the tyres.

The type of road surface – smooth or rough, for example – is a major factor in vibration, which is transmitted through the tyres and suspension system to the vehicle itself. The surface also influences the level of noise heard by those outside the vehicle.

Noise level has previously been difficult to measure and analyse accurately, especially due to the rolling nature of the tyres. It is hard to attach sensors that keep track of these parameters as tyres roll over various types of road surfaces.

TIRE-DYN developed a test rig that offers an unprecedented level of precision in capturing the interactions of these aspects while a tyre is rolling at different speeds on diverse road types. The researchers fed the information gathered by the rig into more advanced models of tyre vibration and noise. They also developed new tyre test approaches and new ways of measuring tyre vibration and noise.

The new model then fed into existing simulation packages used in testing new tyre designs. The model could also help manufacturers align tyre performance and safety with noise limits set by EU rules.

Project details

• Project acronym: TIRE-DYN
• Participants: Belgium (Coordinator), Luxembourg
• Project N°: 251211
• Total costs: € 700 041
• EU contribution: € 700 041
• Duration: September 2010 - August 2014

http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?artid=39976