Vehicle Tire Research Articles

Modelling and performance analysis of free body dynamics of electric vehicles

The modelling and performance analysis of free body dynamics in electric vehicles (EVs) plays a crucial role in understanding and optimizing the vehicle's behavior and performance. This research focuses on accurately modelling the forces and motions acting on the vehicle body, excluding the powertrain components. By considering factors such as vehicle weight, suspension characteristics, tire properties, and aerodynamic forces, a comprehensive mathematical model is developed. This model enables the simulation and analysis of the vehicle's behavior under various operating conditions. The performance analysis involves evaluating key metrics such as vehicle response, stability limits, and ride comfort. The proposed system is compared with the existing electric vehicle in the market. The findings from this research contribute to the design and development of EVs with improved handling, stability, and energy efficiency. Additionally, they inform the development of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving technologies. Overall, the modelling and performance analysis of free body dynamics in EVs supports the advancement of sustainable and efficient transportation systems.

Numerical Simulation of Vehicle Tyre under Various Load Conditions and Its Effect on Road Traffic Safety

The main objective of the transport reliability and maintenance analysis is to improve the understanding of accidents through incident investigations. This research focuses on composite pneumatic tyres used in transportation engineering and presents both theoretical and experimental studies. The finite element method used for numerical simulation combined with pre-experimental measurements based on optimisation by material vibration response is presented for tyre material modelling. Piezoelectric vibration test was used for the pre-experimental test of the tyre quarters. The simulation results indicate that the pneumatic tyre with the recommended air pressure inflation shows the least amount of deformation. In comparison, pneumatic tyres with recommended and reduced air pressure inflation of 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 bar are under research. Additionally, it was established that, when subjected to external forces that exceed the tyre’s maximum weight capacity, as determined by the manufacturer, the tyre exhibits significant stiffening and internal stress. The research suggests that this methodology can be used to obtain a realistic model of vehicle tyre dynamic processes and assess the impact on road traffic safety with different inflation pressures and loads.

Are vehicle tires major contributors to microplastic emissions into the China seas? A simple model perspective

Microplastics pose a substantial threat to our environment. Given China's large population and rapid economic growth, it is urgent to estimate the annual emissions of microplastics into its marine environment. The microplastics show a significant variation in their source emissions as well as in their physical and chemical properties, leading to differences in their transport and fate in aquatic environments. To account for these variations, we developed a process-oriented model that considers microplastics from different sources and the inter-provincial variation in their retention rate to assess annual microplastic emissions into the China seas. On a national scale, of the microplastics emitted, 36.05 % are from household laundry activities, 27.26 % are from the wear and tear of vehicle tires, and 24.04 % are from the abrasion of plastic household items. After emission, 60.21 % are removed by wastewater treatment plants. The overall proportion of microplastics that end up in the marine environment highly depends on the specific riverine retention rate of microplastics from vehicle tires. Including the high settling rate of these microplastics, this proportion drops from 9.96 % to 3.29 %, rendering vehicle tires a minor contributor to microplastic emissions into the China seas compared to other sources. Moreover, when using the density-dependent approach and considering the east/west dimension of each province, the microplastic emissions from vehicle tires into the China seas decrease from 71 % to 5.27 %. This underscores the urgent need for global and regional models to account for the detailed riverine transport process of microplastics from vehicle tires in order to enhance the accuracy of their emission estimates into coastal waters.

The future of tire energy: a novel one-end cap structure for sustainable energy harvesting

Piezoelectric energy harvesting is gaining popularity as an eco-friendly solution to harvest energy from tire deformation for tire condition monitoring systems in vehicles. Traditional piezoelectric harvesters, such as cymbal and bridge structures, cannot be used inside tires due to their design limitations. The wider adoption of renewable energy sources into the energy system is increasing rapidly, reflecting a global attraction toward the utilization of sustainable power sources (Aljendy et al. in Int J Power Energy Convers 12(4): 314–337, 2021; Yesner et al. in Evaluation of a novel piezoelectric bridge transducer. In: 2017 Joint IEEE International Symposium on the Applications of Ferroelectric (ISAF)/International Workshop on Acoustic Transduction Materials and Devices (IWATMD)/Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM). IEEE, 2017). The growing interest in capturing energy from tire deformation for Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) aligns with this trend, providing a promising and self-sustaining alternative to traditional battery-powered systems. This study presents a novel one-end cap tire strain piezoelectric energy harvester (TSPEH) that can be used efficiently and reliably inside a tire. The interaction between the tire and energy harvester was analyzed using a decoupled modeling approach, which showed that stress concentration occurred along the edge of the end cap. The TSPEH generated a maximum voltage of 768 V under 2 MPa of load, resulting in an energy output of 32.645 J/rev under 1 MPa. The computational findings of this study were consistent with previous experimental investigations, confirming the reliability of the numerical simulations. The results suggest that the one-end cap structure can be an effective energy harvester inside vehicle tires, providing a valuable solution for utilizing one-end cap structures in high-deformation environments such as vehicle tires.

Examining Critical Success Factors for Africa’s Sustainable Industrial Development with Special Reference to Zambian Manufacturing Sector – Challenges, Prospects & Opportunities

This study was intended to examine critical success factors for Africa’s industrial development with special reference to the Zambian manufacturing sector - challenges, prospects & opportunities. The study had three (3) research questions; what are critical success factors for Zambia’s industrial development? How efficacious are the existing policy frameworks and /or governmental undertakings to guarantee Zambia’s achievement of SDG # 9 by the year 2030? What are socio-economically viable and actionable policy imperatives to industrialize the country by the targeted year? The study used a qualitative interpretive paradigm in targeting middle and top management key informant policy makers in line government parastatals and association [(Zambia Development Agency (ZDA), the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC), the Lusaka South Multi-facility Zone (LSMZ), and the Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM)] within the manufacturing sector in which 25 were interviewed comprehensively through convenient and purposive sampling techniques. Content analysis was used to analyse the data. The study established that technology, innovation, infrastructure, skills development, financing, R&D, and actualized favourable manufacturing policies were critical success factors to Zambia’s industrial development. These parametric variables and policies must be anchored on a well guided and pragmatic political will from the politicians with required technical know-how. Besides, the study found out that although the country has close to enough policy instruments and frameworks to guarantee meeting its SDG # 9 if implemented coherently, consistently, and timely, there is no coherent systematization, co-ordination, and prioritization in attending to critically important productive sector policies for achievement of intended industrial development outcomes as the said factors (variables) fall across sectors / ministries thereby creating disjoints, discord and fragmentation in development actions. On the other hand, the study discovered with concern that there were no properly streamlined and sectoral delineation policies for foreign investors’ investments as some of them were found to be investing in mundane activities such as running retail grocery shops, auto shops, and hardware; mending motor vehicle tires; operating casinos; moulding bricks / blocks; rearing livestock like chickens, pigs, goats; roasting maize on city streets.which economic activities are too basic to be done by an investor at the expense of local people. The study concluded that the country needed to implement and actualize its industrial development policies and programmes as contained in its national policy documents, SDGs and the constitution with a further caveat that the social, cultural and economic rights be enshrined in the republican constitution as a matter of urgency in order not to rationalize and make optionless socio-economic development by politicians who always want to venture into rent-seeking activities at the expense of sustainable national development. The study assuredly noted that if these policies could be implemented in correctly identified productive manufacturing sectors / industries, the nation would in no time overcome its alarming poverty, unemployment, debt mountain, and inequality levels, which have dogged it for generations now as Zambia has necessary raw materials such as minerals, land, forestry, wildlife, water, energetic youthful population, sunshine, forestry, etc. for cutting edge industrial development. Raw commodity trade does not guarantee sustainable development but bleaks the nation’s and its generations’ future, hence the imperative to circumvent this bliss by sustainable industrialization and value addition to the country’s products and services for increased value.

Contamination level, spatial distribution, and sources of potentially toxic elements in indoor settled household dusts in Tehran, Iran.

Tehran, the capital city of Iran, has been facing air pollution for several decades due to rapid urbanization, population growth, improper vehicle use, and the low quality of fuels. In this study, 31 indoor dust samples were collected passively from residential and commercial buildings located in the central and densely populated districts of the city. These samples were analyzed after preparation to measure the concentration of elements (As, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, Sr, V, Zn). Statistical data analyses were employed to compare their relationship across various uses, variations, and for source identification. Geochemical indices of contamination factor (CF) and pollution load index (PLI) were utilized to evaluate the degree of contamination. The mean concentrations of Zn, Cu, and Pb (938, 206, and 176µgg-1, respectively) are 6, 5, and 3 times higher than their mean values in worldwide urban soils. Additionally, Cd, Mo, and Ni showed concentrations about 1.5 times higher, while As, Co, Cr, Mn, and Sr fell within the range of reference soils. Be, V, and Sb displayed remarkably lower mean values. Building use did not significantly influence element levels in indoor deposited dust except for Pb and Zn. A comparison of indoor concentrations with previously published data for outdoor dusts revealed higher enrichments of Mo, Cu, Pb, and Ni, while As, Cd, and Zn showed lower enrichments in street dust samples. The order of CF values indicated Hg > Zn > Cd > Pb > Cu > As > Ni > Cr > Co > V. For Hg, Zn, Pb, Cd, and Cu, all or almost all samples exhibited very high contamination. PLI values were consistently higher than 1, indicating contamination in all samples. Multivariate statistical analysis and Tehran's specific geological location suggested that mafic-intermediate volcanic rocks are primary sources for Cr, Cu, Fe, and Ni (PC1). As, Pb, and V (PC2) were attributed to fossil fuel combustion in vehicles and residential buildings. Pb is a legacy metal remaining from the use of leaded gasoline, which was phased out in the 1990s. Zn (PC3) is derived from vehicle tires.

Deep dive into the chronic toxicity of tyre particle mixtures and their leachates

Particles from the tread of vehicle tyres are a global pollutant, which are emitted into the environment at an approximate rate of 1.4 kg.year−1 for an average passenger-car. In this study, popular tyre brands were used to generate a tyre tread microparticle mixture. The chronic toxicity of both particles and chemical leachates were compared on a planktonic test species (Daphnia magna). Over 21 days of exposure, pristine tyre tread microparticles were more toxic (LC50 60 mg.L−1) than chemical lechates alone (LC50 542 mg.L−1). Microparticles and leachates showed distinct effects on reproduction and morphological development at environmentally relevant concentrations, with dose-dependent uptake of particles visible in the digestive tract. Chemical characterization of leachates revealed a metal predominance of zinc, titanium, and strontium. Of the numerous organic chemicals present, at least 54 were shared across all 5 tyre brands, with many classified to be very toxic. Our results provide a critically needed information on the toxicity of tyre tread particles and the associated chemicals that leach from them to inform future mitigation measures. We conclude that tyre particles are hazardous pollutants of particular concern that are close to or possibly above chronic environmental safety limits in some locations.

Analysis of random induced dynamic response of rural roads considering friction effect and nonlocal effect under the load of construction vehicles

Abstract The objective of this paper is to propose a novel computational model for solving the problem of accurately evaluating the randomly induced road vibration response of engineering vehicles traveling on rural roads. The computational model, first, focuses on the unique pavement characteristics of rural roads, constructs a tire grounding function model and innovatively introduces a dynamic friction factor, and successfully develops a coupled stochastic excitation system model for the interaction between the dynamic loads of 1/4 vehicle tires and the pavement of rural roads by applying the power spectral density function of the rural roads and combining it with the elastic roller model of the vehicle tires. Second, considering the nonlocal superposition effect of the soil skeleton of the roadbed, a coupled vibration response model of a 1/4 automobile rural road is successfully developed, and a validation method is given. Finally, the coupled vibration response characteristics of engineering vehicles and rural roads under random excitation at different speeds are analyzed. The analysis results show that the model proposed in this paper can well predict the degree and influence the range of rural road vibration caused by random excitation of construction vehicles traveling at any speed.

Contribution of Road Vehicle Tyre Wear to Microplastics and Ambient Air Pollution

Tyre particles are generated by shear forces between the tread and the road or by volatilisation. Tyre abrasion (wear) contributes from one-third to half of microplastics unintentionally released into the environment. The major part ends up in the soil, a considerable amount is released into the aquatic environment, and a small percentage becomes airborne. Nevertheless, tyre abrasion contributes to 5–30% of road transport particulate matter (PM) emissions. This corresponds to approximately 5% of total ambient PM emissions. The particle mass size distribution peak at around 20 to 100 μm, with a second peak in the 2–10 μm range. A nucleation mode has been reported in some studies. The absolute abrasion levels depend on the tyre, vehicle, and road characteristics, but also on environmental conditions and driving style. Most tyre particle emission factors in the literature are based on data prior to the year 2000. We aggregated recent studies and found a mean abrasion of 110 mg/km per vehicle or 68 mg/km/t for passenger cars (based on approximately 300 measurements). Based on a limited number of studies, the PM10 emissions were 1.4–2.2 mg/km per tyre. On the other hand, the particle number emissions were in the order of 1010 #/km per tyre. The ratio of PM10 to total abrasion was found to be 2.5% on average. Finally, the ratio of PM2.5 to PM10 was calculated to be around 40%. Various mitigation measures for tyre particle pollution could be envisaged; the most direct is the limitation of the tyre abrasion rate, as proposed by the European Commission for the Euro 7 regulation. Other regulatory initiatives are also discussed.

Path tracking of varying-velocity 4WS autonomous vehicles under tire force friction ellipse constraints

In this paper, a control scheme is presented to solve the problem of path tracking for varying-velocity autonomous vehicles with higher robust performance while friction force constraints of vehicle tires and ground are considered to avoid appearing the steering lost situation actively in the limit of the tire friction forces by using four wheel steering. To achieve these goals, a new expression of the tire forces and a new controlled system are proposed for the three degree of freedom vehicle model. A longitudinal input-saturation controller is designed to track the desired longitudinal velocity and attenuate the influence of lateral and yaw motions. The virtual control input method is used to design the input-saturation controller and get the desired steering angles to track the desired path for the lateral and yaw motions while a new control problem with desired forces tracking is considered to autonomously avoid the limit of lateral tire friction forces and the steering lost situation appearing. To test these results, lane changing, U-corner turning and straight-line driving for a varying-velocity vehicle are simulated with external disturbances and model uncertainties. Simulation results show that the higher robustness and precise path tracking performances are obtained.

Estimation of Lateral Velocity and Cornering Stiffness in Vehicle Dynamics Based on Multi-Source Information Fusion

<div>To address the challenge of directly measuring essential dynamic parameters of vehicles, this article introduces a multi-source information fusion estimation method. Using the intelligent front camera (IFC) sensor to analyze lane line polynomial information and a kinematic model, the vehicle’s lateral velocity and sideslip angle can be determined without extra sensor expenses. After evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the two aforementioned lateral velocity estimation techniques, a fusion estimation approach for lateral velocity is proposed. This approach extracts the vehicle’s lateral dynamic characteristics to calculate the fusion allocation coefficient. Subsequently, the outcomes from the two lateral velocity estimation techniques are merged, ensuring rapid convergence under steady-state conditions and precise tracking in dynamic scenarios. In addition, we introduce a tire parameter online adaptive module (TPOAM) to continually update essential tire parameters such as cornering stiffnesses, with its effectiveness demonstrated through DLC and slalom simulation tests. Using a dual extended Kalman filter (DEKF) observer, the article allows for joint estimation of vehicle states and tire parameters. Ultimately, we offer a cost-effective estimation method of vital dynamic vehicle parameters to support the motion control module in autonomous driving.</div>

Occurrence and characteristic of microplastics in suspended particulate, a case study in street of Yogyakarta

Microplastics (MPs) are increasingly recognized as emerging pollutants affecting the hydrosphere, geosphere, and atmosphere. One of the primary suspected sources of MPs is road dust in urban areas, with the majority originating from transportation, such as vehicle tires and road marking paint. MPs with a size of less than 5 mm can be ingested by humans from the air, and their potential effects remain largely undiscovered. There is still limited research on MPs in the air, particularly in Yogyakarta, one of the major cities in Indonesia. This study approach MPs as suspended particulates and, as such, employed a High Volume Air Sampler (HVAS) to collect air samples for Total Suspended Particulates TSP, PM2,5 and PM10 in four locations with high human activity and traffic volumes in Yogyakarta. A digital microscope was used to identify the number, shapes, and colors of the MPs. The results revealed 4576 particles of MPs in all the samples, with East Ringroad having twice the number of MPs compared to West Ringroad. The order of occurrence in terms of shapes was as follows: fragments (39%), films (37%), and fibers (25%). In terms of color, black was the dominant color of MPs, followed by brown and transparent. These results suggest a significant presence of black, fragmented-shaped MPs, which could indicate that most MPs in the ambient air near Yogyakarta’s roads originate from vehicle activity, consistent with previous findings. Furthermore, the high number of colored fibers and films may indicate packaging and fabric degradation in the surrounding area.

Accelerating Light-Duty Fleet Decarbonisation through Energy Efficiency Audits: Results and Methodology Assessment

The transport sector is responsible for 37% of the energy consumption in Portugal (70% of it due to road transportation), supplied almost completely by fossil fuels. Portugal must reduce these sector’s emissions by 98% to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, thus making transportation a crucial sector for a successful decarbonisation of the economy. This scenario sparked action at ADENE – the Portuguese Energy Agency to create MOVE+, an auditing methodology that incentivises and guides a broad group of stakeholders to act on the decarbonisation of mobility, starting with light duty and freight fleets. It comprises a framework to rate fleets on energy efficiency which enables regular implementation and monitoring of decarbonisation measures in areas such as vehicle technology, telematics, driver training, tyre selection, and maintenance. This paper shows that the application of the MOVE+ methodology helped identify an electrification potential of 24% on average per fleet, according to the Best-in-Class (whereas the analysed sample shows 20% of electrification). A multiple linear regression model validates the correlation between MOVE+ obtained scores, in the evaluated dimensions, and the fleet’s specific CO2 emissions. The methodology also allows us to assess that Portugal is lagging to meet the carbon neutrality target for the transport sector by 2050. Such assessment allows us to estimate that, regarding light-duty fleets, at the current pace zero emissions will only be reached by 2080, thus highlighting the need for public policy adjustments that push towards faster decarbonisation.

До аналізу викидів від зносу автомобільних шин, як екологічної складової використання автомобільного транспорту

In the work, a study of the negative impact of vehicles on the environment, namely emissions from the wear of automobile tires, was carried out. As a result, tire dust is released into the environment, which settles on the roads, or gets into the air and is carried over considerable distances. The research of European and American scientists on the wear and tear of vehicle tires during their movement and the harmfulness of these emissions to human health is analyzed. The mechanism of tire tread wear has been studied, its types have been determined, and the factors affecting wear of the tire tread have been determined. Based on the analysis of scientific research, the influence of the established factors on the change in the concentration of PM10 and PM2.5 solid particles in emissions from car tire wear was determined. It was found that an aggressive driving style contributes to a significant increase (by 78 times) in the concentration of solid particles in emissions during tire wear. An increase in the level of emissions is also influenced by an increase in the load on the tires and an increase in the speed of movement. It was determined that new car tires are characterized by an increase in the concentration of particulate emissions, which is explained by a certain period of their running-in. An increase in the concentration of solid particles was also established when using studded winter tires compared to non-studded and summer ones. Possible steps for deepening research on the problem of solid particle emissions from tire wear and their impact on the environment are proposed. Among them: clear compliance with the load index when choosing tires, compliance with speed regimes, ensuring compliance of tire materials with wear resistance standards, taking into account the specifics of the impact of materials and the limit sizes of their components on the wear of automobile tires when designing coatings for new automobile roads and modernization of existing ones.

Research of the elastic properties of a vehicle tire with an tilting wheel rotation axis

The purpose of the study is to develop computational and experimental methods for determining the normal, longitudinal and lateral stiffness of a vehicle tire with an inclined rotation wheel axis. Dimensionless correction factors were obtained to adjust the tire stiffness along the corresponding coordinate when the wheel rotation axis is tilted. It has been established that when the wheel rotation axis is tilted, the tire stiffness changes along different coordinates in different ways. It has been determined that the normal and longitudinal tire stiffness when the wheel rotation axis is tilted always decreases, regardless of the tilt direction. A change in the lateral tire stiffness when the wheel rotation axis is tilted can occur either in the direction of decrease or increase, depending on the combination of the tilt direction and the vector of the wheel lateral force. Keywords vehicle support wheel, rotation axis tilt, tire elastic properties, methods for determining

Development and Validation of a Scaled Electric Combat Vehicle Tire Model

Development and Validation of a Scaled Electric Combat Vehicle Tire Model

Robustness Classification by Machine Learning from Vehicle Tire Surface Abrasions

Robustness Classification by Machine Learning from Vehicle Tire Surface Abrasions

Perpetual pavement utilizing crumb rubber modified bitumen: A case study of the trial section on the S-19 expressway

To minimize the environmental impact of road construction and reduce the carbon footprint, it is essential to design pavements with sustainability in mind, considering their entire life cycle. On the S19 expressway between Kraśnik and Janów Lubelski, a 400-meter-long trial section was designed and constructed in full alignment with this strategy. The pavement structure was developed following the American concept of perpetual pavement, incorporating a stiff and rut-resistant binder course along with a flexible and fatigue-resistant base course. This layer arrangement significantly extended the service life of the pavement without increasing the structure’s thickness. Additionally, recycled crumb rubber-modified bitumen from used vehicle tires was used for all asphalt layers. Beyond its ecological value, recycling waste tires also positively impacts material parameters. The constructed pavement structure enables the reduction of natural resource consumption, elongation of the periods between maintenance, and the utilization of fully valuable waste, like used car tires. Moreover, this type of structure is entirely recyclable, allowing for its use in the construction of new roads after its designated service life. The paper describes a method for designing perpetual pavement structures, presents a comparison of properties between crumb rubber-modified binders and standard binders, and provides test results for asphalt mixtures. The deflection measurements obtained by the falling weight deflectometer are also discussed.

Ubiquitous occurrence of p-Phenylenediamine (PPD) antioxidants and PPD-quinones in fresh atmospheric snow and their amplification effects on associated aqueous contamination

p-Phenylenediamine (PPD) antioxidants are heavily used for protection of commercial rubber products (e.g., vehicle tire), resulting in their widespread contamination in ecosystem. PPD-quinones (PPDQs), the toxic quinone derivatives of PPDs, are also discovered as novel environmental pollutants. However, the contamination characteristics of PPDs/PPDQs in fresh atmospheric snow (without deposition on the Earth surface) have seldom been studied. This work first reports the broad distributions of PPDs and PPDQs in fresh atmospheric snow collected from seven Chinese urban areas. Individual median values of detected concentrations were in the ranges of 0.4 to 260 pg g−1 (PPDs) and 0.7 to 104 pg g−1 (PPDQs). The concentration deviation by long-term deposition on the ground was eliminated. In most sampling regions, wearing of vehicle rubber tires was possibly responsible for spatial-dependent PPDs’ pollution level variations, and high concentrations of PPDs promoted PPDQs’ formation in snow from atmosphere. Yet, excessive O3 may further oxidize and reduce PPDQs in atmospheric fresh snow from Zhengzhou, which is different from previous research. Furthermore, snowfall was noticed might amplify concentrations of three PPDs and PPDQs in an inland lake, which possibly worsen corresponding pollution in water system. Current study elucidates the potential impacts of snow-bound PPDs/PPDQs on ecosystems should not be underestimated.

External tire noise: Determination of timbre parameters and unpleasantness factors, with a focus on truck tires

The Leon-T project aims to reduce emissions (noise and particles) from heavy goods vehicles (HGV) tires. This study was focused on the noise emitted by tires in suburban conditions (70 km/h). Its aim was to identify the sound parameters responsible for the unpleasantness of this noise. An initial experiment based on recordings (of passenger cars, light and heavy goods vehicles) highlighted the important timbre parameters used by listeners in two conditions (signals recorded at the roadside and modified to simulate the effect of a standard facade). For noises heard inside dwellings, it seems that intensity and tonality are the most important factors (unlike car tires, truck tires can emit noise with a strong tonal character). In a second experiment, signals were synthesised to simulate tire passing noises, with controlled loudness and tonality. Participants were asked to evaluate the unpleasantness of sounds. Results showed that the contributions of both factors to unpleasantness were equivalent. This could lead to the recommendation that tonality be considered in of tire noise regulations.