Tyre dynamics

Tyres are commonly assumed to be an inconspicuous component of a car and often get neglected by the drivers – yet they are a fundamental part of any road vehicle.

Overview

Tyres are at the heart of the dynamic qualities of vehicles and have an impact on the vehicle energy consumption in fact up to seven per cent of the total vehicle energy consumption is caused by tyre rolling resistance. So there is a clear interest and need by automotive engineers and researchers to thoroughly understand the behaviour of tyres.

To achieve this goal under all possible driving and road conditions, a detailed understanding of the physics of the rolling tyre is required. Yet this aspect is not fully understood as the two components that meet in the contact patch – the tyre and the road surface – yield complex, interrelated physical-processes.

Research areas

To address this knowledge gap, our research focuses on:

Measurement and analysis of rubber properties
Measurement and analysis of rubber friction and wear characteristics using a state-of-the-art test rig
Development of rubber friction models based on physical mechanisms
Virtual testing of static and rolling tyres using advanced finite element models
Creation of tyre models for bespoke vehicle dynamics simulations and high fidelity simulation tools such as vehicle simulators.