Numerical Evaluation of the Static Performance of Solid Resilient Tires by Varying Key Parameters

Solid tires are a significant engineering innovation used in a variety of applications. In industrial settings, they are found on large tractors, trucks, heavy loading equipment, and smaller machinery like forklifts, bike tires, lawnmowers, and casters. Numerous studies have simulated the behaviour of solid tires under both static and dynamic conditions. The goal of this study is to develop a numerical approach to understand how changes in layer thickness and bead wire percentage affect the static performance of solid tires. In this study, rubber components were modelled using a hyper-elastic material model. The most suitable hyper-elastic model was identified in ABAQUS by utilizing experimental data and a curve-fitting approach. The Yeoh hyper-elastic material model exhibited the lowest statistical errors, as measured by the Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), Mean Signed Difference (MSD), and Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD). The static numerical model, developed using the best-fitting hyper-elastic material model, was validated against the experimental data obtained. Next, a parametric study was conducted with two case studies: altering the material properties of different layers and varying the percentage of bead wires. In the first parametric study, which involved altering the material properties of the layers, the model with base layer and tread layer as cushion material properties (CCC) significantly increases displacements, achieving a 66 % increment in vertical displacement and a 73 % increment in horizontal displacement. Additionally, the model with cushion layer with base material (BBT) model demonstrates a 13 % decrease in contact area relative to the original model. In the second parametric study focused on changing the percentage of bead wires, minimal variation was observed in the static performance outcomes. Therefore, it is recommended to conduct a dynamic analysis to further investigate the impact of reinforcement variation. These results provide a more detailed understanding of the static performance of solid resilient tires in relation to key tire parameters that benefit the solid tire industry.