PSI - Issue 75

Said Allouch et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 75 (2025) 299–310 S. Allouch/ Structural Integrity Procedia (2025)

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5.2. Tire Width The tire width plays a crucial role in the load file development, as it affects the contact patch area between the tire and the road surface on the one hand and the drum surface on the other hand. A wider tire provides a larger contact area, leading to variations in load distribution and stress concentrations on the wheel.

5.2.1. Details of the investigation

In addition to tire ratio, tire width was also investigated as a factor influencing load program validity. A similar study to the one for the tire ratio was conducted with tires of varying widths, specifically 245/45R20, 255/45R20, 265/45R20, and 275/45R20, with the 275/45R20 tire serving as the focused wheel for load program development. Once again, the wheel forces (peak loads) were used for the experimental stress analysis for all tire sizes, and the developed load file for the 275/45R20 was then applied to the other tires. 5.2.2. Results and Analysis In the analysis of tire widths, the 265/45R20 and 255/45R20 tires demonstrated deviations within ±5%, affirming the load program's validity for these dimensions. However, for the 245/45R20 tire, deviations exceeding ±5% were observed in some strain gauges, leading to a significant loss of damage assessment, Fig. 8. This underestimation indicated that the load file developed for the 275/45R20 tire could not accurately represent the damage patterns of narrower tires, thus requiring the development of a new load program for those widths.

Fig. 8. Validation of load file for other tire width.

5.3. Wheel Design: Disc Wheel vs. Spoke Wheel

In wheel design, two primary configurations are commonly used: disc wheels and spoke wheels. Each design has distinct structural characteristics that influence how loads are transferred and distributed across the wheel during operation. Fig. 9 shows the disc and spoke wheel designs schematically. A disc wheel features a continuous, solid structure connecting the hub to the rim. This design offers higher stiffness and a more uniform load distribution, as the continuous material structure allows the forces to spread evenly across the wheel. Disc wheels generally exhibit reduced flexibility under load, making them more predictable in terms of