University of Akron 52nd Tire Mechanics Short Course

The 52nd Tire Mechanics Short Course will be held concurrently with Tire Technology Expo 2023 in Hannover, Germany, March 20, 21, 22, 23, 2023.

This four-day educational and developmental course will provide engineers and scientists with an in-depth, intense study of the latest developments surrounding tire engineering. The course is designed for practicing engineers, chemists and scientists who are concerned with tires and vehicles and who have an engineering or science background at the Bachelor of Science level.

The basic and practical aspects of the mechanics of pneumatic tires will be introduced by internationally renowned experts in tire mechanics. Extensive, detailed course notes prepared by each instructor will be provided for all participants, along with a 700-page e-book, ‘The Pneumatic Tire’, edited by Professors A. Gent and J. Walter. Those who complete this course will receive a certificate from the University of Akron.

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Program Schedule

Monday, March 20, 2023

09:00 – 09:30

Welcome and Introduction
Dr Benjamin T.F. Chung
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Akron, Akron, OH. USA

09:30 – 15:30 (12:00 – 13:00 Complimentary lunch)

The Tire as a Vehicle Component
Dr Gerald Potts
GRP Dynamics LLC Akron, OH. USA

Today’s pneumatic tire must serve four functions: (1) support a moving load; (2) generate steering forces; (3) generate driving and braking forces; and (4) provide isolation from road irregularities. In examining the complex mechanism involved in satisfying the above four requirements, participants will study the tire’s importance in determining overall vehicle performance; for no matter what level of complexity is designed into a vehicle, its only communication with the road is through its tires, which must be tough and strong yet flexible.

  1. Basic functions
  2. Lateral force tire models
  3. Cornering transients
  4. Vehicle ride characteristics

15:30 – 17:30

Tire Components, Tire Compounds and Tire Materials
Dr Annette Lechtenböhmer
Goodyear Innovation Center, Luxembourg (Retired); Associate Editor, Tire Science and Technology Journal

The lecture gives an overview of the tire components, the demands on their compounds and the use of materials in these compounds. It attempts to make the connection between the role of components in a tire, the compound requirements of these components and the raw materials and cure which results in the desired compound properties. The lecture aims to close the loop between the raw materials and reinforcements used, the compound properties, tire preparation and cure, and final tire properties. The lecture will cover:

  1. Components of a tire and demands
  2. Tire compounds and their materials, including polymers, fillers, additives, sulfur and curatives
  3. Tire structure and composites, textile cords, wire, carcasses, beads and belts
  4. Processing, including mixing, calendering and extrusion
  5. Tire building

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

09:00 – 12:00

Tire Components, Tire Compounds and Tire Materials (Continued)
Dr Annette Lechtenböhmer;
Goodyear Innovation Center, Luxembourg (Retired); Associate Editor, Tire Science and Technology Journal

12:00 – 13:00 Complimentary lunch

13:00 – 18:00

Tire Stress and Deformation Analysis
Dr Michael Trinko
Technical Center,
The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co, Akron, OH. USA (Retired)

Several topics related to understanding tire behavior are covered which give a basic understanding of tire mechanics. The properties of the anisotropic cord rubber composite have primary control of the overall performance characteristics of pneumatic tires. To optimize a given tire performance, knowledge of the combined cord rubber composite material properties is necessary and will be covered in this part of the course. Finally, we will examine results of rolling tire analyses and how these were obtained.

  1. Analytical techniques (classical methods)
    1. Equilibrium tire design
    2. Cord loads, belt loads, sidewall loads
    3. Air diffusion calculation
    4. Beads load, bead contact forces
    5. Experimental techniques
  2. Composite material properties calculation
  3. Footprint contact behavior
  4. Cord loads for traction, cornering
  5. Rolling tire modeling approaches

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

09:00 – 15:00 (12:00 – 13:00 Complimentary lunch)

Impact of Rubber and Reinforcement Properties on Tire Footprint Mechanics
Dr Mahmoud Assaad
Global Tire Performance Prediction, Computational Mechanics
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co, Akron, OH. USA

The viscoelastic behavior of the rubber compounds and the reinforcing cords influences the stability of the tire footprint shape. Additional physical properties such as the strain dependency of both constituents and their thermal stability contribute to the contact pressure distribution. The resultant tire forces and moments transmitted to the vehicle are measured using tri-axial force pin transducers or pressure-sensitive mats. The interaction between the materials’ behavior and the tire global response controls the mechanics of tire readability and wear characteristics. The following topics will be discussed:

  1. Mechanical Properties of rubber:
    1. Elasticity and viscoelasticity
    2. Strength of rubber compound
    3. Payne, Mullins effects
    4. Energy dissipation
    5. Strain energy release rate
    6. Neural network-based (Feedforward Backpropagation) constitutive model for rubber material
  2. Fibers and cords: load-displacement, creep, stress relaxation, shrinkage impact of steel wires and polymeric cords on tire performance, reinforcement adhesive coatings and processing

  3. Tire transient force and moment response to slip angle sweep:
    1. Footprint characteristics
    2. F&M measurement
    3. Small-medium-large slip angle regimes
  4. Tire applications:
    1. How tires age and how to measure aging in tires
    2. Tire electric resistance
    3. Tire pressure loss over time - impact of liner material and thickness
    4. Tire post cure inflation
    5. Tire digital twin technology

15:00 – 18:00 Visit to the exhibition

Thursday, March 23, 2023

09:00 – 15:00 (12:00 – 13:00 Complimentary lunch)

Virtual Tire Modeling for Improved Performance
Dr. Ronald Kennedy,
Center for Tire Research,
The University of Akron and Virginia Tech. Blacksburg, VA. USA; (Retired)
associate editor of Tire Science and Technology Journal

Simulations are increasingly being used in companies’ virtual design processes to develop a tire more effectively and efficiently with desired performance attributes. These simulation methods run the gamut from simple empirical or analytical models to highly detailed finite element models. These increasing levels of modeling will be described along with examples, with extended focus on the finite element modeling method. Various finite element modeling techniques will be shown as part of the tire performance simulation examples.

The lecture will cover:

  1. Review of tire modeling methods, with examples
  2. Introduction to tire finite element analysis (FEA)
  3. Application of FEA to tire performance prediction
    1. Tire/road contact
    2. Rolling resistance
    3. Tread wear
    4. Durability
    5. Hydroplaning

15:00 – 15:30

Course Evaluations and Distribution of Certificates
Dr Benjamin T.F. Chung,
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Akron, Akron, OH. USA

For course information, please contact:
Dr Benjamin T F Chung

College of Engineering and Polymer Science
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Akron
Akron, OH. 44325-3903 USA
Tel: +1 330 972 7739
bchung@uakron.edu

For registration information, please contact:
Andrew Boakes

Conference director, UKi Media & Events
Abinger House, Church Street,
Dorking, Surrey, RH4 1DF, UK
Tel: +44 1306 743744
Fax: +44 1306 877411
andrew.boakes@ukimedievents.com