Non-rolling mesh for a rolling finite-element tire model

Abstract

This paper presents a methodology for constructing a finite element based tire model suitable for ride and handling simulations of vehicles. The model is based on available high-resolution finite element models developed by tire manufacturers. Such high-resolution models contain detailed structural and material characteristics of a tire that exhibit degrees-of-freedom in the order of 105 or greater. Consequently, for multibody dynamic analysis, the main objectives of the presented methodology become to reduce the number of degreesof-freedom and to preserve as much of the essential characteristics of the original model as possible. The presented tire model is formulated with a non-rotating reference frame that uses the rotational invariant characteristic of the tire.