A Real-Time Thermal Model for the Analysis of Tire/Road Interaction in Motorcycle Applications

Abstract

While in the automotive field the relationship between road adherence and tire temperature is mainly investigated with the aim to enhance the vehicle performance in motorsport, the motorcycle sector is highly sensitive to such theme also from less extreme applications. The small extension of the footprint, along with the need to guarantee driver stability and safety in the widest possible range of riding conditions, requires that tires work as most as possible at a temperature able to let the viscoelastic compounds-constituting the tread and the composite materials of the whole carcass structure-provide the highest interaction force with road. Moreover, both for tire manufacturing companies and for single track vehicles designers and racing teams, a deep knowledge of the thermodynamic phenomena involved at the ground level is a key factor for the development of optimal solutions and setup. This paper proposes a physical model based on the application of the Fourier thermodynamic equations to a three-dimensional domain, accounting for all the sources of heating like friction power at the road interface and the cyclic generation of heat because of rolling and to asphalt indentation, and for the cooling effects because of the air forced convection, to road conduction and to turbulences in the inflation chamber. The complex heat exchanges in the system are fully described and modeled, with particular reference to the management of contact patch position, correlated to camber angle and requiring the adoption of an innovative multi-ribbed and multi-layered tire structure. The completely physical approach induces the need of a proper parameterization of the model, whose main stages are described, both from the experimental and identification points of view, with particular reference to non-destructive procedures for thermal parameters definition. One of the most peculiar and challenging features of the model is linked with its topological and analytical structure, allowing to run in real-time, usefully for the application in co-simulation vehicle dynamics platforms, for performance prediction and setup optimization applications.

Advances in Mechanical Systems Dynamics 2020

“…Papers [1,2] deal with multi-physics modeling and simulation of tires. In [1], the well-known Tire Magic Formula is coupled with a thermal model.…”

“…In [1], the well-known Tire Magic Formula is coupled with a thermal model. In [2], the Fourier equations for thermal analysis are coupled with a tire structural model.…”

“…The thermodynamic modeling of motorcycle tires is considered in [2], where a physical model accounting for sources of heating such as friction power at the road interface and the cyclic generation of heat because of rolling and to asphalt indentation, and for the cooling effects because of the air forced convection, to road conduction and to turbulences in the inflation chamber is proposed. A special focus is the modeling of the contact patch and the need for real-time capabilities.…”

Evaluation of natural and epoxidized vegetable oil in elastomeric compositions for tread rubber

“…It is designed to support and transmit force, subject to major deflections and deformations, offering the necessary grip for the vehicles movements. 1 There has been constant improvement in the tread elastomeric compositions in order to maintain comfort and safety, as well as to reduce fuel total consumption, and consequently gaseous emissions such as CO 2 , NO x and hydrocarbons to the environment. 2,3 In addition to environmental contamination due to the well-known greenhouse effect, during use of tires, large quantities of their mass through abrasion, and toxic compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are dispersed in the road soil causing subsequent environmental contamination.…”

Thermal model for bicycle tire internal temperature evaluation in various contact conditions

“…Due to the lack of multi-physical mathematical models able to analyze and reproduce complex tire/road contact phenomena, useful to predict the wide range of working conditions, this research aims to the development of a bicycle tire thermal model. With the knowhow gained in motorcycle applications (Farroni, 2020), the main outcome is to provide the full temperature local distribution inside the tire inner rubber layers and the inflation chamber. Such kind of information plays a fundamental role in the definition of the optimal adherence conditions, for both safety and performance maximization, and as an indicator of the proper tire design for various applications, each requiring specific heat generation and management.…”