Experimental Investigation of the Influence of Tire Design Parameters on Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) Performance

Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) is a critical safety component and its performance is crucial for every vehicle manufacturer. The tire plays an important role during an ABS braking maneuver as it is the component that connects the vehicle to the ground and is responsible for generating braking force. The steady-state and transient properties of the tire affect the operation of the vehicle's ABS system and consequently affects its performance/ operational efficiency. The main objective of this study is to investigate how tire design changes influence its interaction with the ABS and its eventual effect on stopping distance. This was conducted through an experimental study where tires were built with three levels of variation in carcass stiffness, tread stiffness and tread compound. Following this, ABS braking maneuvers were performed on two instrumented vehicles including a mid-tier sedan and a high-performance sports car. The steady-state properties of the tire were calculated from experimental data measured both on the vehicle and from the braking skid trailer and thereafter the sensitivity of a given ABS system to such changes in tire properties were analyzed. Lastly, the feasibility of adding intelligence in ABS controllers is investigated through an on-line tire identification routine to determine the tire slip set point value for the ABS controller to maximize the tire braking force.