Difference between Radial ply and Bias ply tyres

Radial ply Bias ply

 Radial tyres are made up of different
combinations of rubber coated steel
piles which are tough and cut
resistant
 Steel belts run at 90 degree angle
with respect to the tread center line
of the tyre
 The tread and the sidewalls act
independently
 Crown is the most stabilized part
and tough
 The treaded portion of the tyre is
resistant to penetrations and cuts
 Because of the stiffer tread radial
tyres distribute the weight evenly
 Greater traction and less wear of the
tread
 Longer tyre life
 Better and smooth ride quality due
to greater traction
 Generally preferred for SUVs
 Greater heat tolerance because of the
presence of rigid steel body
 Can be used to travel for higher
speeds for longer distances
 Because of the less rolling
resistance, these tyres are fuel
efficient
 Bigger footprint
 Less breaking distance
 Bias ply tyres are made up of
crisscrossed piles of nylon which are
coated with rubber
 Nylon belts run at 30 to 45 degrees
with respect to the tread center line
of the tyre
 The tread and the side walls are
interdependent and act as a single
unit
 Side walls are very tough
 The side walls are cut resistant
 The tread gets lifted with the
deflection of the side walls
 The weight distribution is uneven
and non-uniform
 Poorer traction and greater erosion
of the tread
 Shorter tyre life
 These tyres doesn’t offer smooth
ride quality, but the stronger side
walls help in carrying heavy loads
 Used for heavy duty carriage
vehicles such as buses and trucks
 Lesser heat tolerance
 Cannot travel at higher speeds
compared to radial ply tyres
 These tyres are not fuel efficient
 Smaller footprint
 More breaking distance

Pressure distribution in Radial ply and Bias ply tyres

The contact stress between the tyre and the pavement are assumed to be uniform and
equal to tyre inflation pressure within a circular contact area. But in real time the actual contact
stresses are non-uniform. The tyre type also have the significant effect on the tyre-pavement
contact stresses and their distribution. The general materials used and the cross section of the
two different types of tyres are shown in the figure below.
 (a) Materials for Bias ply tyre & (b) Materials for Radial tyre
Source: Yi Xie (2018) Tyre–pavement contact stress distribution considering tyre types, Road
Materials and Pavement Design

Many researchers have proven that with the low load level the contact area of the bias
ply tyre with the pavement approximates a circle with maximum contact stress at the center of
the contact area. With the increase of the load, the contact area begins to appear like a rectangle
with maximum contact stress moving towards the outer edge of the contact area. The reason
for this shift of maximum contact stress towards the edge is because of the side walls or tyre
shoulder, which gives major support in the case of bias ply tyres as the bearing load increases.
The Radial ply tyre shows a contact area which is rectangular in shape. The maximum
contact stress is concentrated at the center and with the increase of load level there is no shift
of position of contact stress as in Bias ply tyre but there is a slight increase in the intensity of
stress.
With the presence of more flexible side walls the Radial tyre crown grips the road. The
footprint of the Radial ply tyre is not as long as the Bias ply tyre but it is wider. Because of this
reason it offers more grip during sharp turns or bends. The Pressure distribution is more even
in the case of Radial tyre compared to Bias tyre as shown in the figure be low.

(c) Footprint of Bias ply & Radial ply tyres (d)Pressure distribution in Bias ply & Radial ply tyres
Source: https://youtu.be/AXTfL8LZqfk