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A tire model and its interface performance with road surface plays a major role in vehicle dynamics analysis and full vehicle real time proving ground simulations. The successful tire model must be able to support the vehicle weight, provide vehicle control and stability, transfer various forces and torques from road/tire interaction to a vehicle chassis/ suspension system. The dynamic effects in terms of tire stiffness and internal damping characteristics in impact loading conditions must also be accounted for in the model. A Finite Element Analysis (FEA) tire model is established and its performance is validated using LS/DYNA3D* analysis code simulating the radial and lateral static stiffness test conditions, the one-meter dynamic free-drop test condition and the rolling cornering stiffness. The analysis results are compared with available test data and a generic empirical formula.

The nonlinearity due to the deflection of bump stopper in vehicle suspension is an important factor to influence on vehicle ride and handling. While it reduces the heavy shock transferred from the road to the vehicle body and hence gives a good ride comfort, it may also give a bad effect on the vehicle handling at high lateral acceleration. In this paper, a simulation program for the handling analysis of a passenger car with nonlinear tire and suspension has been developed and used to study for several design changes of roll stiffness in the same vehicle. The results are well consistent with the general concept in vehicle handling theory.