The objective of this research is to provide an in-depth analysis of the contact patch behavior of a specific passenger car tire. A Michelin P205/60R15 tire was used for this study. Understanding the way the tire interacts with the road at various loads, inflation pressures and driving conditions is essential to optimizing tire and vehicle performance. The footprint shape and stress distribution pattern are very important factors that go into assessing the tire's rate of wear, the vehicle's fuel economy and has a major effect on the vehicle stability and control, especially under severe maneuvers. In order to study the contact patch phenomena and analyze these stresses more closely, a finite element (FE) tire model which includes detailed tread pattern geometry has been developed, using a novel reverse engineering process. In order to validate this model, an experimental process has been developed to obtain the footprint shape and contact pressure distribution. The differences between the experimental and the simulation results are discussed and compared. The validated finite element model is then used for predicting the 3D stress distribution fields at the contact patch. The predictive capabilities of the finite element tire model are also explored in order to predict the handling characteristics of the test tire under different maneuvers such as pure cornering and pure braking. / Master of Science / The objective of this research is to study how the tire interacts with the road and how this “interaction” affects vehicle and tire performance. When the tire is in contact with the ground, the region of the tire that is in contact with the surface is referred to as the “tire contact patch” or the “tire footprint”. A Michelin tire was used in order to study this “footprint phenomena”. The effects of weight, tire pressure and different driving conditions (such as braking and cornering) have a very significant impact on the footprint phenomena. The footprint shape, size and pressure distribution pattern are very important factors that go into assessing the tire’s rate of wear, the vehicle’s fuel economy and has a major effect on the vehicle stability, especially under severe maneuvers. As conducting large scale experiments to study this phenomenon is expensive and difficult, simulation methods (such as the finite element method) are used to create tire simulation models as it is provides a way for tire engineers to study the contact patch and make design changes much more quickly and efficiently. In order to check the veracity of the simulation results, a simple and cost effective experimental process has been developed to obtain the footprint shape and contact pressure distribution. The differences between the experimental and the simulation results are discussed and compared. The validated finite element tire model is then explored to see how well it predicts this “footprint phenomena’ at different driving conditions such as cornering and braking.

Ce travail de thèse présente la démarche utilisée pour construire un modèle éléments finis en statique ou en dynamique d'un pneumatique d'avion gros porteur prenant en compte la géométrie, la structure matérielle complexe, les différents matériaux et leurs propriétés ainsi que les interactions entre le pneumatique et le sol (contact, frottement et couplage thermomécanique). Des essais ont été effectués afin d'identifier les paramètres géométriques et matériaux.Ces simulations utilisant une approche Lagrangienne et une approche mixte Eulérienne/Lagrangienne ont été réalisées sur le modèle proposé. La seconde approche qui réduit considérablement le temps de calcul a été validée pour simuler le roulement en dérapage du pneumatique. Le modèle permet ainsi d'estimer le torseur des efforts dans le contact pneumatique /sol. Nous montrons l'influence des paramètres de chargement (charge verticale, pression de gonflage et vitesse de roulage) et de l'angle de dérapage sur le moment d'autoalignement (MZ) et sur le potentiel d'adhérence (µY) correspondant au rapport entre l'effort latéral et l'effort vertical dû au poids de l'avion. Nous présentons aussi une étude de sensibilité aux paramètres géométriques et matériels.Des essais de Coulomb et de diffusion thermique ont permis d'identifier la loi d'évolution du coefficient de frottement en fonction de la température (béton, asphalte) et l'évolution de la température dans l'épaisseur du pneumatique. Ceci a permis de prendre en compte les effets thermiques dans le modèle et de proposer un modèle de couplage thermomécanique qui met en évidence la décroissance de µY et la chute rapide de MZ vers des valeurs négatives au-delà d'un angle de dérapage critique βmax variant avec les conditions de chargement du pneumatique. Ces variations sont observées expérimentalement. / This PhD Thesis presents the approach adopted for the setting of numerical model based on Finite Element Method for jumbo-jet tire. The model takes into account the real geometry, the complex material structure, the various materials and their properties as well as the interactions between the tire and the ground (contact, friction and thermal-mechanical coupling due to friction). Tests are performed in order to identify geometrical and material parameters.Static and dynamic simulations using a Lagragian approach and an Eulerian/ Lagrangian mixed approach were performed on this proposed model. This second approach which significantly reduces the computational cost time was validated for cornering tire simulation. The model allows thereby to estimate the forces in the tire/ ground contact patch. We show the influency of loading parameters (vertical load, inflating pressure and rolling velocity) and of the slip angle on the self aligning torque (MZ) and on the lateral friction coefficient (µY) corresponding on the ratio between lateral force and vertical load due to the aircraft weight. We also present a sensitivity study on geometrical and material parameters.Coulomb's and thermal diffusion tests were performed in order to identify the friction coefficient law as function of temperature (on concrete and asphalte surfaces) and the temperature evolution in the aircraft tire thickness. These tests allowed to take into account thermal effects in the model and to propose a thermal-mechanical coupling model which emphasized the decreasing of µY and the rapid vanishing of MZ towards zero beyond a critical slip angle βmax varying with the tire loading conditions. These variations were observed experimentally