A Simplified Dynamic Model of the Effect of Internal Damping on the Rolling Resistance in Pneumatic Tires

The pneumatic tire was modeled as a tension band on a viscoelastic foundation, an approximation proven to be valid by previous investigators. The ground contract region of the rolling tire in steady state was found by solving a two-point boundary value problem with specified radial deflections, treating the ground contact end points as unknowns. The ground contact region was shown to shift forward in the rolling direction as a function of damping and rolling velocity. The rolling resistance was determined by integrating the forces acting through the elastic foundation on the wheel axle due to the steady state deformation of the tread band. © 1992