Tractive Properties-Acceleration

When we drive, a driving moment is applied to the tire axis.

The tread of the tire will be compressed circumstantially in
the tireprint zone. Hence, the tire is moving slower than a free
tire
Rw w < Rg w (Rw < Rg)
Tire contact patch moved forward relative to axle.
a driving tire turns faster than a free tire

Largest forces at exit.

Tractive Properties-Acceleration
Zero Acceleration
The tire speed Rw w equals vehicle speed vx only if acceleration is
zero.
In this case, the normal force acting on the tire and the size of the
tireprint are constant in time. No element of the tireprint is slipping
on the road.
100% Slip
This is often observed on an icy surface, where the driven
tires are spinning at high angular speeds, while the vehicle
does not move forward
Tractive Properties-Braking
Contact patch moves rearward relative to axle.
Force builds up as elements move rearward and become
deformed.
Elements out the rear of the contact patch
Slip ratio is 1 < s < 0 in braking.
When we brake, a braking moment is applied to the wheel
axis.
The tread of the tire will be stretched circumstantially in the
tireprint zone. Hence, the tire is moving faster than a free tire
Rw w > Rg w (Rw > Rg)
Tractive Properties-Braking

The peak value of force occurs at

About 10-15% of total slip

peak unstable

stable
Force-slip curves
slip
1.0
Tractive Properties-Braking
Therefore, once the tire longitudinal slip transitions from
the stable to unstable region, the tire road system rapidly
progresses to wheel lockup faster than most humans
can control.
In the stable region, it is relatively easy for a person to
control the amount of braking effort (i.e. longitudinal
force) put out.
When a turning tire is under a vertical force Fz and a lateral
force Fy, its path of motion makes an angle with respect to
the tire-plane.
The angle is called sideslip angle and is proportional to the
lateral force

the tire.
The lateral force Fy is at a distance a behind the
centerline of the tireprint and makes a moment Mz called
aligning moment.

For small the aligning moment Mz tends to turn the tire

about the z-axis and make the x-axis align with the velocity
vector v.
The aligning moment always tends to reduce .
When a wheel is under a constant load Fz and then a lateral
force is applied on the rim, the tire will deflect laterally
The tire acts as a linear spring under small lateral forces
Fy = ky y lateral stiffness)
The wheel will start sliding laterally when the lateral force
reaches a maximum value FyM .
At this point, the lateral force approximately
remains constant and is proportional to
the vertical load
FyM y Fz.
y is the tire friction coefficient in the y-direction
A bottom view of the tireprint of a laterally deflected tire is
shown in Figure-a
If the laterally deflected tire is turning forward on the road,
the tireprint will also flex longitudinally.
A bottom view of the tireprint for such a laterally deflected
and turning tire is shown in Figure-b
Fig-b
Fig-a
Although the tire-plane remains perpendicular to the
road, the path of the wheel makes an angle with tire-
plane.
As the wheel turns forward, undeflected treads enter the
tireprint region and deflect laterally as well as
longitudinally.
The point where the laterally deflected tread slides back
is called sliding line.
 Lateral distortion of the tire treads is a result of a tangential
stress distribution y over the tireprint.
Assuming that the tangential stress y is proportional to the
distortion, the resultant lateral force Fy

a distance a behind the center line.

The distance a is called the

pneumatic trail
The resultant moment Mz is called the aligning moment.
Mz = Fy a (k)
The aligning moment tends to turn the tire about the z-axis and
make it align with the direction of tire velocity vector v.
The slip angle always increases by increasing the lateral force
Fy
However, the sliding line moves toward the tail at first and then
moves forward by increasing the lateral force Fy .
Slip angle and lateral force Fy work as action and reaction.
A lateral force generates a slip angle, and a slip angle generates
a lateral force.
we can steer the tires of a car to make a slip angle and
produce a lateral force to turn the car.
Steering causes a slip angle in the tires and creates a lateral
force.
The slip angle > 0 if the tire should be turned about the z-
axis to be aligned with the velocity vector v.
A positive slip angle generates a negative lateral force Fy .
Hence, steering to the right about the -axis makes a
positive slip angle and produces a negative lateral force to
move the tire to the right.
 A sample of measured lateral force Fy as a function of slip
angle for a constant vertical load is plotted in Figure
The lateral force Fy is linear for small slip angles, however
the rate of increasing Fy decreases for higher .
The lateral force remains constant
or drops slightly
critical value at which the tire slides
on the road.

- Cornering Stiffness
 The cornering stiffness C of radial tires are higher than
C for non-radial tires. This is because radial tires need a
smaller slip angle to produce the same amount of
lateral force Fy .

The pneumatic trail a increases for

small slip angles up to a maximum
value, and decreases to zero and
even negative values for high slip
angles.
 The lateral force Fy = can be decomposed to
Fycos ,
Fy sin ,
The component Fy cos , normal to the path of motion, is
called Cornering Force,
the component Fy , along the
path of motion, is called Drag force.
Lateral force Fy is also called side force or grip.
We may combine the lateral forces of all a
tires and have them acting at the
mass center C.