ASSESSMENT OF MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF OFFROAD VEHICLE TIRE: COUPONS TESTING AND FE MODEL DEVELOPMENT

In this paper the subsequent stages of tire rubber coupons mechanical properties experimental assessment are presented. Experimental uniaxial tension and compression tests were carried out on the strength testing machine with the assistance of high'speed camera and special software for strain measurements. Obtained stress'strain curves were applied into the chosen Mooney'Rivlin constitu' tive rubber material model in order to estimate necessary material constants. Simultaneously, the numerical off'road vehicle tire model was developed. Geometry of the tire and rim was achieved using a 3D scanning method. Moreover, with the assistance of microscope and X'ray device the tire cords pattern was verified, which in the next stages was implemented into the FE model. Consequently, tire radial deflection test was simulated in order to validate evaluated material constants and proposed concept of the numerical tire modelling. Obtained results were compared with the actual deflection test data included in technical documentation of the tire.