Steering and Handling Performance During a Full Tire Tread Belt Separation

In this study, tests were performed with modified tires at the various front and rear positions on seventeen different vehicles to determine the effect of a full tire tread belt separation on a vehicle at highway speeds. The driver's steering and braking inputs were measured along with the vehicle responses during the event. The results show that the forces of a full tread belt separation generally do not force a vehicle out of a driver's control and that only small steering corrections are required to remain in the original lane of travel during the tread belt separation event. Additionally, forces due to the separating tires do not result in violent hop or tramp suspension responses during the separation event.