Abaqus Technology Brief

TB-03-TRT-1
Revised: January 2011
.

An Integrated Approach for Transient Rolling of Tires

Summary
A wide range of loading conditions must be considered in
the design of a tire. Computational simulations of a quasi-
static, steady-state dynamic and nonlinear transient dy-
namic nature must be completed. In addition, the com-
plexity and size of typical tire models highlight the need
for efficient solution techniques.
Abaqus/Standard, which uses an implicit solution method,
can be used to simulate rim mounting, inflation, and foot-
print loading. The footprint loading step is typically fol-
lowed by a rolling analysis. The Abaqus/Standard steady-
state transport capability provides an efficient solution
method for the steady rolling case, as the cost of the
analysis is independent of the rolling speed of the tire.
With this feature Abaqus/Standard can model the tire roll-
ing on a flat road or a drum, as is frequently performed
experimentally.
Adverse road conditions may cause transient dynamic Key ABAQUS Features
loading events. Abaqus/Explicit is ideally suited for simu-  Ability to choose from wide selection of hyper-
lating rapid loading situations such as collision with obsta- elastic constitutive models.
cles, traversal of holes or bumps, effects of vehicle accel-
eration, etc. The solution from the steady-state transport  Ability to define reinforcement independent of
analysis obtained in Abaqus/Standard can be used as the tire geometry, significantly reducing meshing
initial condition for the Abaqus/Explicit analysis. The long efforts.
run times that would be required using explicit time inte-
gration to apply the quasi-static preloading and to acceler-  Ability to transfer geometry and analysis
ate the tire to the desired traveling velocity are, thus, results from an axisymmetric model to a three-
avoided. dimensional model.
Close integration between Abaqus/Standard and Abaqus/  Ability to efficiently compute the steady-state
Explicit facilitates a streamlined total analysis approach, rolling response at a given speed.
one in which the analysis proceeds progressively in
stages. Each loading stage examines an important design
 Ability to import results from the steady-state
rolling analysis into ABAQUS/Explicit to serve
load while also serving to provide the base state for the
as the initial or base state for the transient
next loading stage.
rolling analysis.
Introduction and Analysis Approach  Ability to efficiently model transient dynamics
Tire analysis is a challenging task. The geometry and for large models using ABAQUS/Explicit.
modeling requirements are complex, the loading condi-
tions involve complicated contact conditions, and the na-
ture of the loading ranges from quasi-static to highly dy-
namic.
The definition of reinforcing cords is simplified by allowing
Accurate modeling of tires requires the use of hyperelas- the geometry of the reinforcement to be independent of
tic material models for the rubber matrix and precisely the material carrying the reinforcement. The meshing of
positioned and defined reinforcement. Users may choose the cords is, thus, independent of the meshing of the rub-
to characterize the strain energy potential of the hypere- ber matrix. Abaqus offers surface elements to carry the
lastic material with one of several well-known mathemati- reinforcement. Surface elements do not have any struc-
cal forms or directly from available test data. tural properties and are used only to define the geometry
 2

for the cords. The surface elements are embedded in the

solid elements used to model the rubber matrix. Abaqus For the model under consideration the layers of the belt
will create the appropriate constraints between the nodes cords under the tread are used in pairs, with the orientation
of the matrix material mesh and the nodes of the surface of the cords symmetrical about the direction of travel. That
element mesh. Using embedded elements can prevent is, if one ply of the pair is oriented at θ° with respect to the
potential meshing problems such as very small elements direction of travel, the other member of the pair is oriented
between layers of reinforcement. at −θ°. The cord plies must be offset through the thickness
of the tire; they cannot occupy the same space. Therefore,
The transient rolling analysis is conducted as a sequence coupling is introduced between the extensional and in-
of loading steps. The analysis sequence is progressive in plane shear deformation of the structure. When the tire is
that the current step requires completion of the previous deformed, some amount of twist or relative rotation of the
step. The loading sequence begins by mounting the tire belt plies about the axle occurs. Special axisymmetric ele-
on the rim. It is inflated in the second stage and loaded by ments that allow twist about the circumferential direction as
the weight of the vehicle in the third, with the tire in con- an independent degree of freedom must be used.
tact with the road to determine the static footprint. The
fourth stage determines the state of the tire when rolling The cord reinforcement is characterized completely by the
at a steady speed; force and moment results at the axle cross-sectional area of each fiber, the spacing between the
can also be determined. The steady-state rolling condition fibers, and the material properties and orientations of the
is then used as the initial state of the fifth stage, in which fibers. Figure 3 and Figure 4 display three- and two-
the target transient rolling analysis is completed. While dimensional views of the reinforcement configuration, re-
the fifth stage is the final objective of the analysis se- spectively.
quence, each stage provides valuable information to the
tire designer.
2-D axisymmetric rim
Structural symmetry is used where possible to reduce mounting analysis
model size and, hence, maximize computational effi-
ciency. During the mounting and inflation stages, a half-
symmetric axisymmetric model is used. The symmetric 2-D axisymmetric
implicit
model generation capability is used to generate a partial inflation analysis
three-dimensional model for the footprint analysis and a explicit
SMG/SRT
full three-dimensional model for the steady-state and tran-
sient rolling stages. 3-D footprint analysis SMG: symmetric
model generation
The rim mounting, inflation, and footprint analyses are SRT: symmetric
inherently quasi-static. As such they are most efficiently SMG/SRT results transfer
solved using the implicit solution technique available in steady-state rolling
Abaqus/Standard. The steady-state rolling analysis is analysis
conducted using a mixed Eulerian/Lagrangian approach
in Abaqus/Standard. This capability allows the steady- import
state solution to be determined without the computational transient rolling
expense associated with an explicit solution procedure. In analysis
addition, the computational effort is independent of the
steady rolling speed. The results of this fourth modeling
stage are used as the base state for the final, transient Figure 1: Stages in the analysis pipeline.
rolling simulation. In this stage the tire will traverse a se-
ries of bumps while rolling at speed. The fifth stage, which
involves nonlinear transient dynamics, will be analyzed
using Abaqus/Explicit.

The following sections describe the details of each load-

ing stage and present some representative results. Figure
1 diagrams the overall approach to analyzing the transient
rolling of tires in Abaqus.

Axisymmetric Rim Mounting and Inflation

The axisymmetric cross-section of the tire is used to per-
form the rim mounting and inflation analyses. At this stage
the symmetry of the tire is exploited and only half the tire
cross-section is modeled, as shown in Figure 2. Symme- Figure 2: Axisymmetric cross-section of the tire. The color
try boundary conditions are applied at the midplane. coding identifies regions with different material properties.
 3

The cord reinforcement is characterized completely by the

cross-sectional area of each fiber, the spacing between
the fibers, and the material properties and orientations of
the fibers. Figure 3 and Figure 4 display three- and two-
dimensional views of the reinforcement configuration, re-
spectively.

The rim is typically modeled as a rigid surface, reducing the

cost of and simplifying the analysis. Contact is modeled
between the rim and the tire; frictional effects are normally
included. The rim is moved to the desired position against
the tire before the inflation pressure is applied.

Three-Dimensional Footprint Analysis

The loading during the footprint analysis is no longer axi-
Figure 5: Partial three-dimensional model generated us-
symmetric; a three-dimensional model is, thus, required.
ing symmetric model generation.
The symmetric model generation capability is used to cre-
ate the model by revolving the cross-section around an
axis. The axis of revolution is parallel to the rolling axis of Since the final goal is to perform a transient Lagrangian
the tire. dynamic rolling analysis, we use a uniform fine discretiza-
tion around the circumference. The results from the end
of the axisymmetric analysis are transferred to the newly
generated three-dimensional model using the symmetric
results transfer capability.

The footprint analysis is performed on a half-symmetric

three-dimensional model (Figure 5) to reduce computa-
tion time. On the midplane of the tire perpendicular to the
axle, antisymmetry conditions are applied using linear
constraint equations. In the next stage the symmetric
model generation capability can be used again to reflect
the half-symmetric model about a line to generate the full
three-dimensional model. The results from the end of the
footprint analysis are transferred to the full three-
dimensional model using the symmetric results transfer
capability. The road is modeled as a rigid surface. Con-
Figure 3: Reinforcement orientation in the belts and the tact is modeled between the tire and the road.
carcass in three dimensions.
In Figure 6 the deformed partial three-dimensional model
is shown, while the deformed full three-dimensional model
embedded is shown in Figure 7. The footprint contact pressure re-
elements sults are shown in Figure 8.

host elements

Figure 4: Embedded elements in the tire cross-section.

Figure 6: Partial three-dimensional model with footprint
loading.
 4

rolling, the steady-state transport capability can also be

used to analyze cornering and camber. The footprint con-
tact pressure and the in-plane shear stress in the circumfer-
ential direction due to friction are shown in Figure 9 and
Figure 10, respectively. Figure 11 displays the distribution of
force in the outermost reinforcing belt.

Figure 7: Full three-dimensional model generated using

symmetric model generation.

Steady-State Rolling
Steady-state rolling is modeled most effectively by using a
reference frame that is attached to the axle of the tire.
The reference frame translates with the tire but does not Direction of travel
rotate; the tire is, therefore, rotating through the reference
frame. An observer in this frame sees the tire as points
that are not moving, although the material of which the Figure 9: Contact pressure distribution at the footprint re-
tire is made is moving through those points. gion in the steady-state transport step.

The finite element mesh describing the tire in this frame of

reference remains stationary. This kinematic description
can be viewed as a mixed Eulerian/Lagrangian formula-
tion, where the rigid body rotation is described in an Eule-
rian manner and the deformation is measured in a La-
grangian manner.
Ideally, a fine mesh is needed only near the footprint re-
gion. If the purpose of the analysis is only to calculate the
steady-state response, special elements designed to
model cylindrical structures can be used. The advantage
is that the model size is reduced significantly.
Here, the final simulation will be a transient dynamic Direction of travel
analysis once steady-state rolling has been achieved.
Such a Lagrangian analysis requires fine meshing around Figure 10: Shear stress due to friction in the direction of
the circumference to accommodate changing contact con- motion in the steady-state transport step.
ditions. While this loading stage considers only straight

Direction of travel
Figure 8: Contact pressure distribution at the footprint Figure 11: Reinforcing cord force in the outermost belt near
region in the footprint loading step. the footprint region in the steady-state transport step.
 5

Import and Transient Rolling

Model information and results from an Abaqus/Standard
analysis can be transferred to an Abaqus/Explicit analysis
and vice versa. The results from the end of the steady-
state rolling analysis are imported into Abaqus/Explicit as
the initial (base) state for the transient rolling analysis.

Figure 12 displays the initial configuration of the model

used in the transient rolling analysis. The road and the rim
are modeled as rigid bodies, and the coefficients of fric- Figure 13: Deformation of the tire in the
tion between the road and the tire and the rim and tire are footprint area as it rolls over the first bump.
1.0. The height of the bumps is approximately 10% of the
tire radius.
In this case the tire moves at a constant velocity of
60 mph along the direction of motion (the same velocity
as used in the steady-state rolling step). The vehicle load
is applied to the reference node of the rigid surface mod-
eling the rim.

Typical results of interest—including deformation, contact

pressure, and reinforcement stress—are shown in Fig-
ure 13, Figure 14, and Figure 15, respectively.

Since no suspension components were modeled, the ver-

Figure 14: Contact pressure distribution
tical force at the reference point of the wheel is not avail-
during the initial impact with the first bump.
able directly. A qualitative assessment can be inferred,
however, from the reaction forces at the reference point of
the road. Figure 16 shows the magnitude of the vertical
reaction force at the road reference point. The curve has
been generated using an SAE low-pass filter with a cutoff
frequency of 1000 Hz.

Conclusions
Abaqus has an efficient, cost-effective methodology for
the transient rolling analysis of tires. The streamlined, in-
tegrated approach uses the symmetric model generation,
symmetric results transfer, and steady-state transport ca-
pabilities to minimize analysis time.
Figure 15: Reinforcing cord force in the
outermost belt during the initial impact.

Figure 12: Tire model imported into

Abaqus/Explicit from Abaqus/Standard.

Figure 16: Vertical reaction force magnitude

at road reference point.
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Acknowledgements
Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA Corp. would like to acknowledge Hankook Tire Co. for supplying the tire model used in this
study.

References
1. Kennedy, R., and J. Padovan, “Finite Element Analysis of a Steady and Transiently Moving/Rolling Nonlinear Vis-
coelastic Structure-II. Shell and Three-Dimensional Simulations,” Computers & Structures, vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 259
273, 1987.
2. Oden, J. T., and T. L. Lin, “On the General Rolling Contact Problem for Finite Deformations of a Viscoelastic Cylin-
der,” Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering, vol. 57, pp. 297367, 1986.

Abaqus References
For additional information on the Abaqus capabilities referred to in this brief, see the following Abaqus 6.12 documenta-
tion references:

 Analysis User’s Manual

- “Defining reinforcement,” Section 2.2.3
- “Steady-state transport analysis,” Section 6.4.1
- “Symmetric model generation,” Section 10.4.1
- “Hyperelastic behavior of rubberlike materials,” Section 22.5.1
 Example Problems Manual
- “Symmetric results transfer for a static tire analysis,” Section 3.1.1
- “Steady-state rolling analysis of a tire,” Section 3.1.2
- “Import of a steady-state rolling tire,” Section 3.1.6

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