Modeling and Validation of Compressed Snow–Tire Interactions for Traction Assessment Under Controlled Slip Conditions

Abstract Snow traction is an important performance parameter for tire manufacturers, and it is evaluated using a standardized test (ASTM F1805-20). In this test, the tire driving traction on compressed snow is recorded under controlled conditions. However, conducting multiple tests is challenging due to the limited availability of proving grounds and the difficulty of maintaining consistent test conditions. Additionally, prototyping and testing are costly. To address these limitations, this paper investigates the modeling and prediction of snow–tire interaction to estimate the traction coefficient of standard reference test tire (SRTT) 225/60R16 at different slip ratios, and it is validated against in situ test data. The SRTT tire is modeled using finite element analysis (FEA) and validated under static loading conditions. The validation considers radial deflection, footprint area, and contact pressure at different inflation pressures against experimental data. Compacted snow is modeled using Drucker–Prager cap (DPC) plasticity material model and a hybrid smoothed particle hydrodynamics-finite element method (SPH-FEM) approach. The DPC model captures the material behavior of compacted snow accurately, while the hybrid SPH-FEM approach is computationally efficient. The study evaluates the traction performance of the SRTT tire on compacted snow for different slip ratios and compares the results with in situ test data. Furthermore, the impact of sipes on traction performance is analyzed by comparing a SRTT tire model with a blank-rib tire model under identical slip conditions. The findings contribute to enhancing traction modeling methodologies for virtual validation of winter tires.