A semi-analytical tyre model for the study of tyre/rim interaction on a road vehicle

The paper is devoted to the study of a simplified model for passenger car tyres. The simplified model is mainly focused on the computation of the forces acting at the tyre/rim interface. A simple and reliable model able to predict such forces can be a valuable tool for wheels manufacturers, whose concerns are focused on the lightweight design of the wheel. The simplified model is based on a semi-analytical approach to model the tyre. The model, given a limited set of input parameters, computes the reaction forces acting at the tyre/rim interface under a vertical load. The input parameters can be identified by simple experimental tests on the tyre under consideration. Reaction forces obtained from the semi-analytical model are then compared against a more detailed finite-element model of the tyre.