SOME CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT FORCES AND DEFORMATIONS IN TIRES

The existing tire models are basically of three kinds: essentially empirical (“magic formulas”), or mixed empirical/analytical, or extremely complex theoretical models almost useless in practical situations. The model here proposed does not require any empirical data, and presents a simple theoretical approach very suitable to use in project and analysis of real suspension systems. This paper suggests a physical and mathematical model for the mechanical behavior of pneumatic car tires, based on the relationship between the relative displacement of the wheel to the tire-ground contact region. This formulation, assuming small displacements, is the first step to a more comprehensive model of the tire dynamic behavior, which will be published later