Airless tires: Structural concepts, mechanical design, and application prospects

• Exploration of airless, or non-pneumatic, tires as a modern alternative to traditional pneumatic tires. • Advantages and challenges of non-pneumatic tires, alongside a breakdown of their structure and key components. • Review of each component’s role in tire performance, with a critical evaluation of recent advancements. • Emphasis on the elastic structure, a key area of research. • Conclusions on the overall progress and future prospects of non-pneumatic tires. The emergence of airless, or non-pneumatic, tires as a modern alternative to pneumatic tires is a relatively recent area of research in the transportation field. In this paper, we examine the advantages driving the development of non-pneumatic tires, along with the challenges currently hindering their widespread adoption. We will then establish a common structure for the modern non-pneumatic tire, dividing it into its key components. The conventional purpose, desirable characteristics, and impact of each component on overall tire performance will be derived from the literature, and the merits of recent developments in this field will be critically evaluated where appropriate. The discussion will primarily focus on the elastic support structure, the component that directly replaces air and has been the focal point of most research. The paper will conclude by consolidating the progress of each component, discussing their influence on the prospects of non-pneumatic tires, especially in new applications, and identifying areas for further research.