Vehicle Handling With Tire Tread Separation

Document Number: 1999-01-0120

Date Published: March 1999

Author(s):
Charles P. Dickerson - Collision Engineering Associates Inc.
Mark W. Arndt - Collision Engineering Associates Inc.
Stephen M. Arndt - Sefa Inc.

Abstract:
Catastrophic and sudden tire tread separation is an event that drivers of motor vehicles may encounter and, in some instances, is implicated as the cause of motor vehicle crashes and related injury or property damage. In an effort to understand how tire tread separation affects vehicle handling, a series of tread separation handling test programs were conducted. In each tread separation test program a sport utility vehicle was instrumented and equipped with steel belted radial tires that were modified to emulate tread separation between the inner and outer steel belts. The test vehicle was then subjected to a variety of open and closed loop handling test maneuvers. This paper presents the data and analysis from these tests. The research demonstrates through controlled experiments that a tire tread separation has an effect on the vehicle''s fundamental handling characteristics. It also demonstrates that the effect depends on the position of the compromised tire on the vehicle.

File Size: 1376K
Product Status: In Stock

See other papers presented at International Congress & Exposition, March 1999, Detroit, MI, USA, Session: Vehicle Dynamics & Simulation (Part A&B)

Purchase more technical papers and save! With TechSelect, you decide what SAE Technical Papers you need, when you need them, and how much you want to pay. Learn more >