Static stiffness characteristics of a new non-pneumatic tire with different hinge structure and distribution

To eliminate the potential risk factors of the conventional inflatable tire, a creative non-pneumatic tire named “ME-wheel” was developed. Based on the analysis of the bearing characteristics, four types of ME-wheel with varying hinge structures and distributions were designed. The static stiffness characteristics of these four ME-wheels were investigated by numerical simulations and experiments. The hyperelasticity and incompressibility of the rubber material were described by the Mooney–Rivlin model, and the multilayer rubber-cord composites were modeled by the rebar layer. The nonlinear finite element model of the ME-wheel, which included nonlinear property of the material, contact condition, and anisotropy of rubber-cord composites, was validated by the load characteristic test. Stiffness characteristic tests of these four types of ME-wheel and a pneumatic tire, including vertical, longitudinal, lateral, and torsional stiffness, were carried out using a low speed flatbed test bench. A sufficient comparison and analysis were made between the experimental data and simulation data. The research results provided some theoretical and technical verification on the performance and structural optimization of the ME-wheel.