Cornering stiffness determination

Abstract

Existing methods are analyzed and the results of experimental studies on determining the cornering stiffness on an undeformed support surface are presented. When studying the cornering stiffness, the tire is considered as a component of an complex mechanism, which is an elastic wheel. At the same time, a distinction is made between the movement of the wheel along a curvilinear trajectory and the plane-parallel movement with slip. During the movement of the wheel along a curvilinear trajectory, the disk is simultaneously displaced laterally and twisted relative to the tire contact patch, which causes a lateral force and a twisting moment relative to the vertical axis. The plane-parallel movement of the wheel with slip causes a lateral displacement of the disk relative to the tire contact patch, which causes a lateral force that is displaced relative to the center of the tire contact patch. Both the movement along a curvilinear trajectory and the plane-parallel movement with slip are associated with a lateral force that depends on the cornering stiffness. It is proposed to experimentally determine the cornering stiffness of truck tires, using the truck as a tester. Analytical dependencies are presented that functionally link the cornering stiffness, lateral stiffness of the tire, angular stiffness relative to the vertical axis and the longitudinal axis of the contact patch. These dependencies allow determining cornering stiffness by the indirect method. The results of experimental and calculated data of the cornering stiffness for a tire size 1300x530-533 mod. VID-201, which is installed on all-wheel drive KrAZ truck, are presented.

The results of the research may be useful to specialists working on improving the handling and stability of vehicles.

Key words: cornering stiffness, slip angle, lateral stiffness, tire contact patch, methodology, undeformed support surface.