Analysis of tire–pavement viscous hydroplaning based on the material point method

Tire hydroplaning is a complex multi-physics problem, involving multiple nonlinearities in geometry, material properties, and boundary conditions, as well as fluid–structure interaction (FSI) effects. Any vehicle traveling on a wet pavement may encounter hydroplaning, and a deep understanding of the hydroplaning mechanism on ultra-thin water film pavements is crucial for improving highway traffic safety. This study proposes a tire–water film–pavement FSI calculation model based on the material point method (MPM), using a tire rolling model to capture the flow field characteristics of fluid motion. The effects of factors such as water film thickness, fluid viscosity, tire wear, road surface roughness, and tire speed on tire hydroplaning are analyzed. The results show that on wet pavements, tires cannot completely displace the thin layer of water film, and the ultra-thin water film remaining on the pavement actually acts as a lubricant. As the fluid viscosity increases, the amount of water expelled from the sides of the tire tread gradually decreases. Worn tires are more prone to viscous hydroplaning when traveling on smooth pavements. Fluid on rough pavements is more likely to be retained within the rough structures, reducing dynamic water pressure and thereby lowering the risk of tire hydroplaning. By simulating this complex dynamic FSI phenomenon of tire viscous hydroplaning, the effectiveness and reliability of the MPM in handling thin-film FSI problems have been verified.