Influence of structural and geometric parameters on the inter-ply shear stresses in a radial truck tyre

Abstract

In this paper, a non-linear finite element model of a truck tyre is employed to conduct a parametric study on the shear stresses developed in different belt layers. The parametric study incorporates the geometric and anisotropic material properties of the individual layers in the multi-layered system and the orientations of the cords in different layers. The parameters considered concerning the geometry of the tyre include the aspect ratio, rim radius and tread depth. The parameters related to structural features and material properties of the individual layers in the belts, such as the cord angle, total number of belt layers under the crown and the number of twisted cords per unit width of an individual layer, are further considered. The influences of these parameters on the maximum shear stresses developed in individual belt layers are investigated for a non-rolling radial truck tyre with focus on the 100 psi (690.3 kPa) inflation pressure, and 20 and 30 mm normal deflections. The analysis is performed using the ANSYS® software and the results are used to derive a more desirable set of structural parameters so that the maximum shear stresses in the belt layers of a loaded radial truck tyre can be reduced. The maximum inter-ply shear stresses computed using the proposed set of parameters are compared with the stresses derived corresponding to the pre-estimated nominal parameters. Based on the analysis, it is concluded that a tyre design realised on the basis of the proposed set of parameters can yield considerably lower magnitudes of the maximum shear stresses in the multi-layered system of a radial truck tyre under a wide range of inflation pressures and normal loads.