Effect of Rubber Material Aging on the Stiffness Characteristics of Aircraft Tires

Aircraft tires are subjected to environments characterized by heat and mechanical load, which can result in the degradation or damage of tire materials. This degradation adversely impacts the load-bearing capacity and handling performance of the tires, ultimately compromising the safety of aircraft during takeoff and landing. This study establishes material parameters for a constitutive aging model of rubber, derived from natural rubber aging tests. Utilizing these parameters, stiffness tests and simulations of aircraft tires were conducted to quantify the effects of aging duration and aging temperature on the vertical and longitudinal stiffness of the tires. The results demonstrate that the stiffness properties of aircraft tires undergo significant changes throughout their service life, emphasizing the importance of accounting for these variations between new and aged tires when predicting tire performance. The findings of this research offer valuable insights for tire design and enhance the understanding of factors affecting tire performance and safety under aging conditions.