Strength Validation of Hexagonal Cellular Spoked Non-Pneumatic Tires for Automobiles through Finite Element Analysis

Abstract

Composite materials and structures can be said to be major paradigm of the current scientific revolution. Large scale adoption of such a paradigm has led to the invention of Non-Pneumatic tires also called as “Airless Tires”. In this paper, attempt to study the deformation mechanisms of the honeycomb cellular structure is made. A lower contact pressure is obtained with the NPTs than with the pneumatic tire due to the decreasing spoke stiffness of the NPTs when they are designed to have the same load carrying capability. The deformation mechanisms are validated through the Finite element prediction on ANSYS Mechanical APDL solver. This document focuses on the adaptation for of NPT’s for automobile only. The study of this adaptation is conducted through the consideration of four cases of loading: Compressive, lateral Shear, Lateral Torsion, Circumferential torsion. A tire cannot be inducted into service without validation of strength in these types of loadings. This document on restrict the analysis to independent analysis of each loading in the FEA environment. These afore-mentioned loadings are discussed and quantified for strength validation of these type of tires. The primary investigation consists of the localised stress concentration, maximum deflection and deformation shapes in the cellular spokes and the contact stresses at the tire road interface. This document consists of two set of results the quantitative and the qualitative. The conclusions are drawn on the foundation formed by these sets of results.