TRT EVO: Advances in real-time thermodynamic tire modeling for vehicle dynamics simulations

Abstract

Vehicle performances, especially in motorsport, are deeply affected by tire behavior and in particular by tire compound proper working conditions. In this research activity, a series of innovations have been introduced on the Thermo Racing Tire (a physical-analytical tire thermal model, based on Fourier's law of heat transfer applied to a three-dimensional domain) in order to take into account all the main aspects actively involved in the thermal behavior of the tire, as the presence of exhausted gases eventually impacting at the rear axle and the inhomogeneous distribution of local variables (pressure, stress and sliding velocity) within the contact patch, caused in example by the tire camber angle. The new model developed considers the presence of the sidewalls, actively involved in the convective heat exchanges, respectively, with the external airflow and the inner gas fluid, located inside the inflation chamber. The aim of the new version of the tire thermal model is a better physical comprehension of all the phenomena concerning the contact with the asphalt and the prediction of the link between the thermal state and the frictional performance, crucial for the definition of an optimal wheel and vehicle setup.

Brush tyre models for large camber angles and steering speeds

“…where we have denoted with 7 . The steadystate solution u − t (x, t) can be obtained again by imposing the BCs.…”

“…For example, a great deal of research was devoted by both Besselink and Pacejka [3,4] to account for the effect of the inflation pressure and for transients. More recently, Farroni [5][6][7][8] integrated the MF description with a full-physical thermal model in order to include the contribution of the tyre temperature. As a result, the MF coefficients have been redefined as temperature-dependent functions.…”

A numerical methodology for thermo-fluid dynamic modelling of tyre inner chamber: towards real time applications

“…The same can be argued for the local deformation distribution within the tyre inner layers, resulting in specific local heating distributions within the meshed threedimensional domain. Starting from the TRT thermodynamic model, with its applications for both the performance optimization in racing field and in advanced control logics development for passenger vehicles, the physical modelling of the tyre behaviour can become particularly useful for the understanding of the tyre ideal working range and for the evolution of the control systems actions in emergency situations, thanks to the enriched dynamic vehicle state due to the availability of additional physical variables [19,20].…”

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

“…In literature, the first approaches to such issue are related to the modeling of the Fourier equations applied to a three-dimensional domain, in some cases coupled with a mechanical model of the tire [15,16], in other with stand-alone tools able to work together with other interaction formulations, like Pacejka's MF [17], or with FEM [18]. During the past years the focus has moved to highly discretized models able to work in real time [19], whose maximum level of complexity has been requested by motorcycle applications, for which tire contact patch moves along lateral direction of the tread, generating local stress [20] able to modify significantly the whole balance of energy with respect to car tires [19].…”