Non-Axisymmetric Tire Wear Evaluation Using Simplified 3D Models

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current virtual prototyping techniques for tire wear evaluation, especially with non-axisymmetric tread patterns, face limitations such as high computational resource requirements, numerical instabilities, and inaccuracies in simulating dynamic effects and material properties, leading to inefficient and inaccurate wear prediction.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method that generates simplified 3D models of tires with non-axisymmetric tread patterns, performs steady-state transport analyses, and converts frictional energy rates into wear energy rates using a wear model, allowing for efficient and accurate evaluation of tire wear by merging results from multiple analyses and determining averaged wear rates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If transient analysis is used to evaluate tire wear, then accuracy of wear prediction is improved, but computational time and resource requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewear prediction accuracyVSAvoidcomputational time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the complex transient analysis into multiple steady-state transport analyses performed on simplified 3D models. By dividing the tire into multiple sectors and performing separate steady-state analyses on each sector, the method achieves wear prediction accuracy comparable to transient analysis while reducing computational time from tens of hours to a fraction of that time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates simplified 3D models that are copies or representations of the full tire model, but with reduced complexity. These simplified models retain the essential geometric features needed for accurate wear prediction while requiring significantly fewer computational resources, enabling fast evaluation without sacrificing accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Productivity

If steady-state transport analysis is used to evaluate tire wear, then computational efficiency is improved, but accuracy deteriorates for tires with non-axisymmetric tread patterns

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomputational efficiencyVSAvoidwear prediction accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent explicitly addresses non-axisymmetric tread patterns by generating simplified 3D models that preserve the asymmetric geometric features of the original tire. The method does not assume axial symmetry, allowing steady-state transport analysis to accurately capture the wear behavior of tires with complex, asymmetric tread designs while maintaining computational efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enhances the steady-state transport analysis by incorporating additional dimensional considerations through the generation of multiple simplified 3D models from different sectors. This dimensional approach allows the method to capture the complex wear patterns of non-axisymmetric tires that would be missed by traditional axisymmetric assumptions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Device complexity

If simplified models are used to reduce computational complexity, then computational resources required are reduced, but dynamic effects and material properties are neglected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomputational complexityVSAvoidsimulation reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by performing steady-state transport analysis on multiple simplified 3D models representing different sectors of the tire. Each local sector model captures the specific geometric and material characteristics of that region, allowing the method to account for local variations in wear behavior while maintaining overall computational efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the modeling parameters by using simplified 3D models with reduced geometric complexity while retaining essential material properties and boundary conditions. This parameter adjustment allows the simulation to remain computationally tractable while preserving the physical realism needed for reliable wear prediction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables fast, accurate characterization of tire lifetime and mileage, reducing computational costs and simulation time while maintaining high accuracy, facilitating rapid virtual prototyping and optimization of tread structures and materials.

Implementation Method 1

providing a wear model of the tire configured to convert a frictional energy rate into a wear energy rate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP4296880A1Evaluating wear of a tire with a non-axisymmetric tread pattern
Publication Date: 2023.12.27 BRIDGESTONE CORP
  • EP4296880A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2a
  • EP4296880A1 patent drawingFigure 2b
  • EP4296880A1 patent drawingFigure 2c

AI summary

A computer-implemented method for evaluating wear of a tire with a non-axisymmetric tread pattern, the method comprising: providing a wear model of the tire configured to convert a frictional energy rate into a wear energy rate; providing a first three-dimensional, 3D, model of the tire with the non-axisymmetric tread pattern; generating a plurality of simplified 3D models based at least in part on the first 3D model of the tire with the non-axisymmetric tread pattern; performing a plurality of steady-state transport analyses based at least in part on each one of the plurality of simplified 3D models; post-processing the results of each of the plurality of performed steady-state transport analyses; and evaluating the wear of the tire with the non-axisymmetric tread pattern based on the post-processed results of the plurality of performed steady-state transport analyses and the wear model.