Characteristic study and design factor analysis of a novel non-pneumatic tyre with V-shaped spokes

Abstract

Compared with conventional pneumatic tyres, non-pneumatic tyres (NPTs) have various advantages such as zero-blowout risk, maintenance-free, and environment-friendliness. Instead of compressed air, NPTs employ elastic spokes as the main load-carrying structure. Honeycomb and flexible radial spokes are the commonly used types, and various spoke geometries are also continuously emerging. In this study, an innovative NPT with V-shape spokes was developed. With the specially designed V-shape spokes, the NPT can achieve better supporting performance and aerodynamic characteristics. A finite element (FE) model was constructed for the proposed NPT, and mechanical properties were studied. Prototypes of the proposed NPT were fabricated, and experimental test confirmed the fidelity of the FE model. To reveal the impact mechanism of design parameters on the mechanical properties of the proposed NPT, we used the Taguchi method for parametric analysis. Based on the verified FE model, orthogonal experimental simulations were conducted to study the interactions among the design parameters and the multi-axis properties such as the radial, longitudinal, lateral, and torsional stiffnesses. Based on the result analysis, design principles are extracted for the proposed NPT to satisfy its multi-axis mechanical property demands.