Tire Vibration Studies: The State of the Art

Abstract

Abstract General principles of mechanical vibration enigneering are used to discuss the total tire vibration problem in terms of three necessary factors: an excitation force, a transmitter, and a receiver of the vibratory force. The present state of knowledge for each of these factors is discussed and an overall goal for reduction of vehicle vibration is formulated. Current experiments for investigating tire vibration transmissibility are described and the results presented: the first used an electrohydraulic shaker; the second used time average holography, in order to see tires, and investigated impact wave propagation in tires with double-pulsed laser holography. Results show that it is difficult to reduce tire transmissibility and to shift resonant frequencies; however, this may be accomplished by introducing small amounts of body ply crown angles in radial tires (0–20 deg). Results of the impact wave propagation tests are beginning to reveal the true nature of what happens when a tire strikes a sharp bump.