Hydroplaning simulations for tires using FEM, FVM and an asymptotic method

Abstract

Hydroplaning tires have been frequently simulated using commercial explicit FEM (Finite Element Method) codes. However, these simulations are slow, and the result of the lift force is so oscillatory that the hydroplaning speed cannot be accurately determined. Thus, in the author’s previous study, a new methodology using FDM (Finite Difference Method) code and an FE tire model iteratively was proposed. However, this full iteration method still required a long computation time, especially for patterned tires. Thus, in this study, the full iteration methodology was modified such that no iteration or only one additional iteration was needed at each speed. Then, by applying the full iteration method, no iteration method and one iteration method, the hydroplaning speeds of a straight-grooved tire were determined, and it was noted that the hydroplaning speed obtained from the one iteration method was almost the same as that obtained from the full iteration method. Moreover, the hydroplaning speeds of two patterned tires were determined using the one iteration method, and they were compared with the hydroplaning speeds obtained experimentally.