A Study of Crack Propagation Characteristic for Inner Belt-Layer in TBR Tire

In order to simulate the crack connection between cords and the inter-ply crack growth in the belt-layer of a real TBR (Truck and Bus Radial) tire, we tested two-ply rubber-cord laminate specimens with exposed edges in constant displacement control. We evaluated measurement of the crack connection when crack reaches the half of the length between 45° aligned cords, and measured the amount of the crack growth by the steel probe method. We then performed a two-dimensional analysis of the crack connection between cords at the exposed edges. The theoretical life of the specimens from the crack connection life between cords (the critical value) and from this critical value to the final failure can thus be calculated by the used of tearing energy. The theoretical life was compared with those of the experimental life. The life prediction up to the critical value has an error of 20% compared to experimental life, and up to the final failure about 65% error. Therefore, theoretically the life of the experiment samples has an error rate of 45% compared to the experimental life, which is acceptable in the case of rubber