Effects on Spoke Structure of Non-Pneumatic Tires by Finite Element Analysis

Abstract

Cause of the non-pneumatic tires (NPTs) which are recent manufacturing have a higher weight that increases energy consumption for driving vehicles with them. This paper then focused on their proper spoke structure. Six patterns of spoke aligning on the NPT circumference were proposed to reduce the NPT weight. The finite element analysis (FEA) of the NPTs based on static and dynamic approaches was performed to study the spoke reduction effects. One pattern of spoke alignments was experimentally performed in the stiffness testing. The tested NPT had been prepared by cutting spokes of the original NPT with the water jet cutting technique. The experimental results then confirmed the accuracy of FEA in reducing the NPT’s weight. It found that the average error of FEA was less than 0.30 %. Therefore, the uniform spoke alignment on the NPT circumference had been carried out to study the effect of spoke numbers on reducing NPT weight by FEA. In advance of NPT design and manufacture with optimal weight, the vertical stiffness equation of this NPT was proposed by two variables, the number, and thickness of the spoke. Furthermore, the stress happening on the spokes was represented as a function to evaluate the NPT performance during operation.