Abstract
A tire is one of main items to contribute to the vehicle drift. Last tire researches mainly focused on the optimization of tire PRCF (Plysteer Residual Cornering Force) to reduce vehicle drift. In this research, robust tire design study to reduce the vehicle drift sensitivity was performed. First, the relationship between the tire structural design factors and the tire footprint shape on ground was identified by using the finite element footprint analysis. Then various tire models with different footprint shapes were modeled and built by controlling the effective structural design factors to the foot print shape. Second, the vehicle drift analysis was performed by using ADAMS/CAR and the influence of the footprint shape on the vehicle drift sensitivity was identified. Finally, it was verified by the vehicle drift test. It was found that the effective tire structural design factors to control the footprint shape were the belt width and belt angle in the tread. In particular, as the belt width increases and the belt angle decreases, the footprint shape ratio (ratio of length and width of the tire footprint) increases. In addition, it was also found that the vehicle drift sensitivity could be reduced by increasing the footprint shape ratio.
Keywords: Tire, Vehicle Drift, Sensitivity, Footprint Shape, Belt Width, Belt Angle