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A Multi-Spoke, Three Plane Tyre Model for

Simulation of Transient Behaviour
J Zhou , Jy Wong & R S Sharp
Published online: 09 Aug 2010.

To cite this article: J Zhou , Jy Wong & R S Sharp (1999) A Multi-Spoke, Three Plane Tyre Model for Simulation of Transient
Behaviour, Vehicle System Dynamics: International Journal of Vehicle Mechanics and Mobility, 31:1, 35-45

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 Vehicle System Dynamics, 31 Ž1999., pp. 35–45 0042-3114r99r3101-035$15.00
q Swets & Zeitlinger

A Multi-Spoke, Three Plane Tyre Model for Simulation

of Transient Behaviour

J. ZHOU 1, J.Y. WONG 2 and R.S. SHARP 3

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SUMMARY

Based on the multi-spoke, single-plane, steady-state tyre model, a transient multi-spoke, three-plane
tyre model is presented. This model involves updating the states of all the spokes under consideration
to t q d t from the corresponding states at t. Also, a spoke base, which has lateral and longitudinal
flexibilities relative to wheel hub, is included. By adding two extra planes of spokes to the original one,
the effect of tyre width is built into the model. The three planes are equally spaced across the width of
the tyre. The interaction with the ground of the spokes on these three planes is used to represent that of
tyre elements at different locations across the width. Analytical results show good qualitative
agreement with published experimental data. This model can be used to illustrate transient tyre
behaviour and in simulations in which a generic tyre will suffice.

1. INTRODUCTION

A multi-spoke, single-plane, steady-state tyre model was presented in w1–3x. This

model is basically a ‘‘brush’’ model but it differs from most others in the
approach that it derives the force system, including the load, from the specified
motion, structure and friction properties. Also, it allows non-linear and cross-cou-
pled spoke elastic properties, completely general motions, and completely general
friction laws and it relies on numerical Žcomputer. solution of the problem. The
elastic properties of the spokes and the properties of the frictional interactions
between the spoke tips and the ground are used to define the characteristics of
tyre-ground interaction. The operating conditions of the tyre are given in geometri-
cal form: the wheel hub height from the ground, the camber angle, the forward and
lateral velocities of the hub, the spin and yaw velocities of the wheel. For
steady-state operation, the course of one spoke through the contact region is
mapped and the force system at each increment is stored. One spoke is representa-
tive of all the others, so that the steady-state condition is known completely after

1
Author for correspondence: UMTRI, The University of Michigan, 2901 Baxter Road, Ann Arbor, MI
48109-2150, USA. Tel: q1 734 764-2285. Fax: q1 734 936-1068. E-mail: jiming@[Link].
2
Transport Technology Research Laboratory, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada.
3
School of Mechanical Engineering, Cranfield University, Bedford MK43 0AL, United Kingdom.
 36 J. ZHOU ET AL.

these calculations. Summations give the total force and moment system for the
particular tyre in the given operating condition. No restriction is placed on the
steady-state motion, so that turn slip and wheel camber can be included. This
model offers a combination of simplicity, few parameters and economy of
computation.
A basic idea in the multi-spoke, single-plane, steady-state tyre model is that
tyre behaviour can be defined by the motion of one spoke through the contact
region. This procedure will not suffice in transient tyre simulation because the
history of the motion of any one spoke is not descriptive of the sequence of states
through which the whole tyre passes. A modified analysis which is based on the
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steady-state spoke model assumptions, but involves updating the states of all the
spokes under consideration to t q d t from the corresponding states at t is
developed for transient tyre behaviour.
For steady-state operation, translations of the tread bristle base makes no
difference to the force system. It is therefore quite unnecessary for the steady-state
model to consider base flexibilities. Such deformations however are crucially
influential on transient behaviour. Tyre relaxation effects calculated without them
are much too small.
This paper is concerned with a transient spoke model, which includes a rigid
bristle base with freedoms to translate longitudinally and laterally with respect to
the wheel hub. The spokes or bristles are located in each of the three planes to
represent tyre structural elements at different locations across the width of the tyre.
The analytical results are compared with the published experimental data in w4x,
and good qualitative agreements are obtained.

NOMENCLATURE

A10 O X , A 21O X , A 32 O X , rotation matrices

A 21O , A 32 O
Cl , C Õ constants describing load and sliding velocity dependence
of friction coefficient
fr , fs , fz radial, lateral and circumferential spoke tip forces
fx , f y , fz longitudinal, lateral and vertical spoke tip forces
k1, k 2 , k 4 , k 5, k 6 , k 7 tyre model structural parameters
kx, ky lateral and longitudinal bristle base stiffnesses
R spoke free length
r yaw velocity
t time
tl distance between side wall and middle plane of tyre
u forward velocity
Õ lateral velocity
w vertical velocity
WP1, WP 2, WP3 division parameters
 SIMULATING TRANSIENT BEHAVIOUR 37

X c oX , X c o longitudinal bristle base deflections at t q d t and at t,

respectively
Yc oX , Yc o lateral bristle base deflections at t q d t and at t, respec-
tively
g O X , gO camber angles at t q d t and at t, respectively
d small increment
´i angle between ith spoke in contact region and vertical
direction
z iO X , z iO circumferential spoke tip deflections at t q d t and at t,
respectively
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siO X , siO lateral spoke deflections at t q d t and at t, respectively

r iO X , r iO radial spoke deflections at t q d t and at t, respectively
V wheel spin velocity
m basic friction coefficient

2. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE TYRE MODEL

The transient multi-spoke, three-plane tyre model is based on the assumptions of

the multi-spoke, single-plane, steady-state tyre model w1x, but involves updating
the states of all the spokes under consideration to t q d t from the corresponding
states at t ŽFigure 1.. The model includes a spoke base, which has lateral and
longitudinal flexibilities relative to the wheel hub ŽFigure 2..

Fig. 1. Spoke tyre model under running conditions.

 38 J. ZHOU ET AL.
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Fig. 2. Spoke tyre model with lateral and longitudinal bristle base flexibilities.

Figure 1 shows the spoke model center O at t and at t q d t the tyre center will
be at OX . The tyre moves forward by u d t q X c oX y X c o , laterally by Õd t q Yc oX y Yc o
and vertically by wd t, and spins by V d t in d t. OX Q is the ith spoke at t q d t and
has components along OX X 3 Y3 Z3 axes w z iO , s iO , R q r iO x T. The components of
OX Q can be expressed in the OX X o Yo Z o system by employing rotation matrices as

Fig. 3. A simple flow diagram showing the structure of computer calculations.

 SIMULATING TRANSIENT BEHAVIOUR 39

defined in Ž1., Ž2. and Ž3. Žthe axis systems OX o Yo Z o , OX1Y1 Z1 , OX 2 Y2 Z2 and
OX 3 Y3 Z3 are defined in w1x..

cos Ž rd t . ysin Ž rd t . 0
A10 QX s sin Ž rd t . cos Ž rd t . 0 Ž 1.
0 0 0

1 0 0
A 21O X s 0 cos gO X ysin gO X Ž 2.
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0 sin gO X cos gO X

cos Ž ´ i y V d t . 0 ysin Ž ´ i y V d t .
A 32 O X s 0 1 0 Ž 3.
ysin Ž ´ i y V d t . 0 cos Ž ´ i y V d t .

The components of the ith spokeŽ OP . at t in O X 3 Y3 Z3 axes are w z iO s iO

R q r iO x T and resolved along the OX o Yo Z o system by employing rotation matrices
as defined in Ž4. and Ž5..

1 0 0
A 21O s 0 cos g O ysin gO Ž 4.
0 sin gO cos gO

cos ´ i 0 ysin ´ i
A 32 O s 0 1 0 Ž 5.
ysin ´ i 0 cos ´ i

The conditions for Q to be the same point as P, that is, no sliding, are

z iO X z iO u d t q X c oX y X c o
A10 O X A 21O X A 32 O X
 0
siO X
R q r iO X
s A 21O A 32 O s
 0
iO
R q r iO
y Õd t q Yc oX y Yc o
wd t
0 Ž 6.

From Ž6., z iO , siO X and r iO X can be found. Then the forces applied to the spoke
tip compatible with these deflections are fz , fs and fr in circumferential, lateral
and radial directions Žthe details are shown in w3x. respectively, and the forces
become f x , f y and f z when resolved in the OX1Y1 Z1 directions through multipli-
cation by A 21O X A 32OX . To take into account the effects of lateral and longitudinal
base flexibilities in the calculations, two additional iterative loops have been
incorporated in the computer program to achieve force equilibria in lateral and
 40 J. ZHOU ET AL.

longitudinal directions through the method of bisection. The lateral base deflection
Ž Yc oX . at t q d t, multiplied by the lateral base stiffness Ž k y . should be equal to the
resultant lateral force generated by the spokes Ž FYT .. The correct value of total
lateral force is calculated when the resultant lateral spoke force is equal to the
lateral base force Žlateral base deflection times lateral base stiffness.. An iterative
method Žthe bisection method. is used to converge to this condition by adjusting
the hub motion. The total longitudinal force is calculated using the same technique
to establish equality between the longitudinal spoke force and the longitudinal
base force Žbase longitudinal deflection Ž X c oX . times the base longitudinal stiffness
Ž k x ...
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Sliding calculations are carried out in the same manner as in w1x.

The moments of the spoke tip forces f x , f y and f z about the wheel center OX in
the OX X 1Y1 Z1 directions are calculated through the vector multiplication:

z iO X y X c oX fx
A 21O X A 32 O X
 0 0
siOX y Yc oX n f y
R q r iO X fz
Ž 7.

The force components themselves and the moment components are stored
before the next spoke is considered. For the other spokes, similar calculations are
carried out. Individual calculations are continued until all the spokes within the
contact region are considered. Then the forces and moments of the single plane are
computed.
An important part of the iteration procedure is the adjustment of the time taken
for one spoke base to rotate through the separation angle. For the multi-spoke,
steady-state tyre model, the separation angleŽthe angle between two adjacent
spokes. is constant Žnormally 10 .; that is, the number of spokes within the contact
region at different times is constant. For the multi-spoke, transient tyre model, a
variant separation angle must be employed to represent the change of the number
of spokes within the contact region at different times. A parameter DP is
employed to carry out the adjustment.
Due to the absence of tyre width in the model, the multi-spoke, single-plane
tyre model is insufficient to describe a real cambered wheel, and also, it can not
represent the different stiffnesses between the side walls and the tread of real tyres.
By adding two extra planes of spokes to the original one, the spoke model
becomes a three-plane model. The three planes represent the side walls and the
tread of the tyre. A division parameter WP is employed to make the spokes of
each plane have different stiffnesses from each other in circumferential, lateral and
radial directions. The entire force and moment system of each plane is computed
on the basis of the single-plane model; then the forces and moments on the three
planes are combined. The three-plane model not only can describe tyres with
different widths but also the same tyre with different loads. It is expected to
improve the accuracy of the single-plane model.
 SIMULATING TRANSIENT BEHAVIOUR 41

Table 1. Baseline parameter set

R k1 k2 k4 k5 k6 k7 m Cl CÕ ky kx tl WP 1 WP 2 WP 3
m Nrm 1rm Nrm Nrm 1rm 1rm 1rN srm Nrm Nrm m
0.34 180 80 22000 15000 2000 0 1.21 0.0016 0.02 30000 65000 0.06 0.20 0.60 0.20

From t to t q d t, the rotation matrices in Ž1. – Ž5. are updated Žthe camber
angle, the yaw and spin velocities, the forward, lateral and vertical velocities as
well as the longitudinal and lateral bristle base deflections are updated., so the
forces and moments calculated can represent tyre behaviour during transient state.
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The flow chart showing the sequence of calculations is shown in Figure 3.

Fig. 4. Lateral forcerslip angle relationships Žtire: 165SR13 steel belted; inflation pressure: 167 kPa;
load: 3.92 kN; speed: 10 kmrh.. Ža. Calculated results Ž . and experimental data Ž- - -.
Žsteering angular velocity s 0.08 degrs.. Žb. Calculated results Ž . and experimental
data Ž- - -. Žsteering angular velocity s1.82 degrs..
 42 J. ZHOU ET AL.

3. VALIDATION OF THE TYRE MODEL

The 165SR13 steel belted, radial tire described in w4x is used for the validation of
the transient tyre model. The tyre inflation pressure is 167 kPa and the forward
velocity is 10 kmrh. Model parameter values which give similar behaviour for
comparable conditions as in w4x are shown in Table 1.
The lateral and longitudinal base stiffnesses of 30000 Nrm and 65000 Nrm
have been utilized respectively, based on an estimate of what would bring
reasonable and illustrative changes to the experimental data w4x. Division parame-
ters WP1 s WP3 s 0.2 and WP 2 s 0.6 mean that the tyre load is mainly sup-
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ported by the centre section of the tyre.

The predicted lateral forcerslip angle relationships for triangular slip angle
variations agree well with experimental results from w4x as shown in Figure 4.

Fig. 5. Aligning momentrslip angle relationships Žtire: 165SR13 steel belted; inflation pressure: 167
kPa; load: 3.92 kN; speed: 10 kmrh.. Ža. Calculated results Ž . and experimental data
Ž- - -. Žsteering angular velocity s 0.08 degrs.. Žb. Calculated results Ž . and experimen-
tal data Ž- - -. Žsteering angular velocity s1.82 degrs..
 SIMULATING TRANSIENT BEHAVIOUR 43
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Fig. 6. Longitudinal forcerslip angle relationships Žtire: 165SR13 steel belted; inflation pressure: 167
kPa; load: 3.92 kN; speed: 10 kmrh.. Ža. Calculated results Ž . and experimental data
Ž- - -. Žsteering angular velocity s 0.08 degrs.. Žb. Calculated results Ž . and experimen-
tal data Ž- - -. Žsteering angular velocity s1.82 degrs..

Similarly, aligning momentrslip angle curves and longitudinal forcerslip angle

relationships for the same operating conditions show good agreement with the
experimental data Žfrom w4x. as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.
Figure 7 shows the influence of the lateral and longitudinal base flexibilities on
aligning moment. The inclusion of the lateral and longitudinal base flexibilities
can modify the aligning moment against slip angle relationships, and improve the
accuracy of the model.

4. CONCLUSIONS
A transient version of the steady-state multi-spoke tyre model has been developed.
The computational strategy of the original model has been improved to deal with
 44 J. ZHOU ET AL.
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Fig. 7. The influence of bristle base flexibilities on aligning moment. Ža. Steering angular velocity s 0.08
degrs. Žb. Steering angular velocity s1.82 degrs.

the transient condition but many features of original model for steady-state
behaviour are incorporated. The original single plane of spokes has been replaced
by three planes, giving the model potential advantages in dealing with turn slip
and wheel camber. Despite the necessary elaboration of the computing strategy,
calculations remain very fast compared with other physical model based calcula-
tions.
Running the model under conditions corresponding to Furuichi and Sakai’s
experiments has given theoretical results which are qualitatively good and quanti-
tatively reasonable. The patterns demonstrated by the test results are thereby
shown to be a natural consequence of the input provided, the rolling contact and
the carcass flexibilities possessed by a typical pneumatic tyre.
 SIMULATING TRANSIENT BEHAVIOUR 45

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This work was supported in part by Ford Motor Company, United Kingdom, and
in part by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. The
authors are grateful to Mr. Ron Woolgar of Ford Motor Company for his helpful
suggestions and comments.

REFERENCES
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1. Sharp, R.S. and El-Nashar, M.A.: A generally applicable digital computer based mathematical model
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187–209.
2. Sharp, R.S.: On the accurate representation of tyre shear forces by a multi-radial-spoke model. The
Dynamics of Vehicles on Roads and Tracks. Proc. 11th IAVSD Symposium, Kingston, Canada,
August 21–25, 1989. Swets & Zeitlinger, Lisse, 1989. pp. 528–541.
3. Sharp, R.S.: Tyre structural mechanisms influencing shear force generation: ideas from a multi-ra-
dial-spoke model. The Dynamics of Vehicles on Roads and Tracks. Proc. 1st International
Colloquium on Tyre Models for Vehicle Dynamics Analysis , Delft, The Netherlands, October
21–22, 1991. Swets & Zeitlinger, Lisse, 1991. pp. 145–155.
4. Furuichi, T. and Sakai, H.: Dynamic cornering properties of tires. SAE paper 780169, 1978.
5. Pacejka, H.B. and Sharp, R.S.: Shear force development by pneumatic tyres in steady state
conditions: a review of modelling aspects. Vehicle System Dynamics. 20 Ž1991., pp. 121–176.