Abstract
The engineering performance expected of tyres is analysed in the context of the machines they fit—saloon cars, racing cars, lorries, earthmoving equipment, aircraft, motor cycles and pedal cycles.
As the performance of vehicles depends on the reaction of their tyres to speed, braking, driving and steering forces, ways of measuring these forces and their effects using sophisticated tyre testing machinery are essential to both tyre and vehicle manufacturers. The tyre testing facilities at Fort Dunlop are described with specific reference to the circulating power machine. This machine enables the study of the effects of both high speed and driving and braking torques on tyres. One of the effects of large torques applied to tyres is the cracking and ‘chunking’ of the tread rubber and evaluation of this is described.
Various measurement techniques are employed and associated calibration methods have been developed which are applicable to many types of test machines.
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