Effects of Complicate Tread Element Geometry and Loading Conditions on Thin Film Wet Traction

Numerical solutions are presented for the action of an individual tread element on a wet pavement. Complicate tread geometry and time-dependent loading condition are taken into account in the numerical procedure. A new hydrodynamic lubrication approach based on a product method is applied to conduct the study at greatly increased computational efficiency. Extensive simulation study for various geometries was achieved using finite-element method.

Results from the study provide quantitative guidelines to tire designer in the search for the optimum pattern of individual tread element on the basis of thin film wet traction.