THE DYNAMIC-RESPONSE OF SPINDLE FORCES PRODUCED BY A TIRE IMPACTING LARGE OBSTACLES IN A PLANE

Prediction of service loads for durability studies is an important app lication of vehicle dynamics simulation in the automotive industry. Su ch studies require accurate predictions of the loads tires transmit to the spindle rather than accurate predictions of the tire deformation and stress fields. This paper describes a simple and efficient two dim ensional tire model that accurately predicts spindle loads during dyna mic impact of the tire with large obstacles. An inextensible, circular membrane is used to approximate the sidewall behavior while a geometr ically non-linear beam element is used to model the tread. Comparisons between numerical and experimental results demonstrate the accuracy o f the tire finite element. The model accurately reproduces the static and dynamic spindle force response, and it is also capable of predicti ng the modes of vibration of a tire. The significance that the first t wo tire modes of vibration and damping play in the force response is a lso addressed. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited