A Simplified Model for Predicting the Pneumatic Stiffness of Conventional and Multi-Cell Inflation Mechanisms for Off-Road Tires

Abstract

Abstract An efficient yet reliable model is developed to predict the static stiffness of pneumatic off-road motorcycle tires inflated by both traditional and non-traditional inflation mechanisms. The model does not include tire sidewall or carcass structural stiffness effects; instead, only the pneumatic component resulting from pressure and volume changes is considered. Model predictions are verified via experimentally measured static stiffness and internal tire pressure data. The analytical and experimental data presented compare the static stiffness behavior of an off-road motorcycle tire inflated with a traditional inner tube to the static stiffness behavior of the same tire inflated by a novel flat-proof inflation system composed of discrete air cells. Results show that the flat-proof inflation system produces performance enhancing static stiffness characteristics over those of the conventional inner tube.