A Finite Element Algorithm for the Prediction of Steady-State Temperatures of Rolling Tires

A review of the literature on the numerical techniques used for the determination of tire temperatures shows that many attempts have been made to simulate tire temperatures with axisymmetric geometry through a simple decoupled representation of the total thermomechanical behavior. The deformation models used in these studies are primarily statically loaded tires with centrifugal forces to simulate tire-rolling behavior at different speeds. These techniques are usually limited to axisymmetric tires, which make the models applicable to only smooth or circumferential grooved tires. In this study, a finite element (FE) algorithm is developed using Petrov-Galerkin Eulerian technique in cylindrical coordinates. An objective of this approach is to provide a technique that is more appropriate for extension to nonaxisymmetric tires with tread patterns. The developed algorithm has been implemented for the prediction of three-dimensional operating temperatures for axisymmetric tires through a simple decoupled procedure. An iterative procedure is used to determine that the equilibrium temperatures, as loss modulus properties, are functions of strain and temperature. The experimental techniques required to determine tire operating temperatures are fairly involved and highly sophisticated. Therefore, the computation results of the developed algorithm for a smooth treaded tire are compared with the results obtained from a standard FE solver.