Finite Element Analysis of Tire/Rim Interface Forces Under Braking and Cornering Loads

Abstract

Abstract During vehicle braking and cornering, the tire's footprint region may see high normal contact pressures and in-plane shear stresses. The corresponding resultant forces and moments are transferred to the wheel. The optimal design of the tire bead area and the wheel requires a detailed knowledge of the contact pressure and shear stress distributions at the tire/rim interface. In this study, the forces and moments obtained from the simulation of a vehicle in stationary braking/cornering conditions are applied to a quasi-static braking/cornering tire finite element model. Detailed contact pressure and shear stress distributions at the tire/rim interface are computed for heavy braking and cornering maneuvers.