Semicoupled modeling of interaction between deformable tires and pavements

The interaction between deformable tires and pavements was studied using finite-element modeling and a semicoupled approach. Three finite-element models were used: (1) a hyperelastic tire rolling on an infinitely rigid surface; (2) a three-dimensional pavement model; and (3) a hyperelastic tire rolling on a deformable viscoelastic body. The tire and pavement models have been successfully compared with experimental measurements. Tire interaction with a rigid surface provided contact stresses to excite the pavement model, and results of the pavement model defined the boundary conditions of the tire rolling on the deformable body. After that, the pavement loaded with the contact stresses from the tire interacting with the deformable body was run. This study focuses on issues related to pavement damage (tire-pavement contact stresses and critical pavement responses) and lifecycle assessment (rolling resistance). Transverse contact stresses were the most affected by pavement deformation, which translated into impact on the maximum vertical strain and the maximum shear strain in the asphalt concrete layer. The tire moving on a deformable body showed that the thin pavement created a higher rolling resistance force than thick pavements. In addition, dissipation-based and deflection-based approaches for calculating pavement contribution to rolling resistance were equivalent. Finally, for the range of values considered, changes in tire inflation pressure affected the rolling resistance force more than changes in applied load.