Three-dimensional temperature distribution of aircraft tyre tread at touchdown

Abstract

Purpose The aircraft’s tyres are forced to spin up at touchdown. A considerable amount of frictional energy will be converted into heat, raising the tread temperature and leading to thermal wear. This study aims to develop a model to analyse the tread heat and discuss the effectiveness of two wear reduction methods. Design/methodology/approach The tread temperature is calculated using Laplace’s Equation. The efficiency of pre-rotation and soft landing in reducing tyre heat is studied using a developed three-dimensional heatmap method. Findings The result indicates that pre-rotation can significantly lower landing gear’s heat generation at touchdown. The soft landing, instead, has an insignificant or counterproductive effect. Research limitations/implications The pre-rotation can significantly increase the tyre’s lifespan and cut the replacement cost. The emission of tyre particles into the environment can be reduced to protect the planet and human health. Originality/value Few studies have used a theoretical model to estimate the tread temperature. The existing studies have only dealt with the maximum tread temperature or the tread centreline temperature, which is insufficient to discuss the heat across the entire tread. However, the heatmap method in this paper can do the job.