Evaluation of the distribution of local pressures and the real contact area between the tyre and the road surface

The importance of heavy vehicles traffic and the composition of bituminous mixes along with their mode of implementation influence the durability and the performance of wearing courses, especially resistance to polishing and the stripping of aggregates on the surface. This traffic-texture combination can be expressed through the distribution of pressures in the tyre-coating contact zone. The study presented in this article sets out an affordable methodology to measure the local pressures distribution and the real contact area between viscoelastic rubber and a surface road. The principle consists of intercalating a Prescale Fujifilm between a tyre and the road surface in specific temperature, humidity and load conditions in static mode. Then, using the analysis of images, we use the footprint left on the Fuji paper through the mechanical contact of the two surfaces to determine the distribution of local pressures and the real contact area with high precision and a good resolution. The effect caused by variations in the inflation pressure and intensity of the load is evaluated.