INVESTIGATION OF TIRE-PAVEMENT INTERACTION DURING MANEUVERING

This report presents the theory and results developed during an analytical and experimental investigation of tire-pavement interaction. An analytical tire model, developed from a finite element computer program, is utilized in a new approach to tire-pavement contact analysis. An analytical model for the deformation and adhesion components of rubber friction is also described. The fast Fourier transform is utilized in calculation of the tire-pavement friction coefficient (as a function of idealized pavement surface characteristics) and in the calculation of the contract pressure distribution produced by the analytical tire model. A computer program manual and a user's manual, FHWA-RD-78-102 and FHWA-RD-78-103, respectively, are available separately from NTIS. /FHWA/