Abstract
The aim of this work is the development of a tire model for multibody simulations of motorcycle dynamics, with special emphasis on the interaction between the tire and an irregular road surface. The tire model presented includes some features that are specific for motorcycle tires, which work in a wide range of camber angles. The shape of the tire carcass is modeled as a revolute surface, and the road is modeled as a generic non-regular surface with few restrictions on its local curvature. A smart procedure is proposed for finding the actual position of the contact patch, the tire camber, and tire slope which is effective for most kinds of road irregularities, even if it cannot be applied to sharp obstacles like steps. The compliance of the tire carcass is also modeled. This feature offers the possibility of introducing the concept of instantaneous slip and describes both steady state and transient forces without relaxation equations. The tire forces are applied on the actual contact point, which corresponds to the center of the contact patch. The validation of this tire model has been done by using experimental data from the TireMeter machine measurements made in our Department (DIM). This tire model was implemented in a multibody software for motorcycle dynamic simulations which was developed at DIM too. The simulations of a motorcycle running on oblique bumps and on a parabolic curve will be presented and discussed.
Keywords - tire, road, motorcycle, dynamics, multibody