Numerical analysis of hydroplaning behaviour by using a tire–water-film–runway model

Abstract

ABSTRACT Studying the hydroplaning behaviour is crucial for enhancing the safety of aviation during the landing stage. Due to the special nature of the aviation field, such as high aircraft velocity, wheel load and operating frequency, accurate numerical simulation is considered an effective method for investigating the tire hydroplaning behaviour. In this study, a fluid–solid coupling model was established using the coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian algorithm to analyze the hydroplaning behaviour. To reveal the influences of factors such as the runway texture, slip ratio, velocity and water-film thickness on tire hydroplaning, some parameters such as the skid number, water distribution, and tire inflation pressure were extracted. Moreover, the real pavement textures of stone mastic asphalt, an open-graded friction course, and asphalt concrete were determined to construct a real runway model and water-film thicknesses of 3, 7, and 10 mm were selected to study their effects on aircraft hydroplaning. The numerical simulation results were verified by calculating the braking distance and conducting trailer test, and the results prove that the numerical model can be applied for the multifactor analysis of tire hydroplaning behaviour.