An experimental procedure for the identification of the dynamic parameters for the rigid-ring tyre model

Abstract

AbstractSeveral approaches have been developed over the years for the modelling of the tyre behaviour in vehicle-dynamic applications. The so-called ‘rigid-ring’ models are among the classics for the modelling of the belt dynamics. Although there are several works dealing with the vibrating properties of tyres, the problem of the identification of the related rigid-ring model parameters has not been described other than qualitatively or partially. The aim of this work is thus to fill this gap and to devise a procedure for the experimental characterisation of such parameters, namely the frequency and damping of the in-plane and out-of-plane belt vibration modes as well as the associated masses and inertias. An experimental modal analysis (EMA) approach is employed, which involves an instrumented hammer combined with three-axial accelerometers roving on 16 stations equally spaced along the tyre circumference. The method is numerically demonstrated on the finite-element models of a motorcycle tyre and a car tyre. The approach is also experimentally validated on a real tyre. The rigid-ring vibration modes of the motorcycle tyre are in the range 70–220 Hz, while those of the car tyre are in the range 51–85 Hz. The ratios of the mass/inertia of the rigid ring to the mass/inertia of the tyre are in the range 40–87% and 68–74% for the motorcycle and car respectively.