Open Access

ARTICLE

Finite Element Simulation of Radial Tire Building and Shaping Processes Using an Elasto-Viscoplastic Model

by Yinlong Wang¹, Zhao Li², Ziran Li^1,*, Yang Wang¹

1 Department of Modern Mechanics, CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
2 Wuhan Second Ship Design and Research Institute, Wuhan, 430064, China

* Corresponding Author: Ziran Li. Email:

Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences 2023, 135(2), 1187-1208. https://doi.org/10.32604/cmes.2022.022596

Received 16 June 2022; Accepted 24 June 2022; Issue published 27 October 2022

Abstract

The comprehensive tire building and shaping processes are investigated through the finite element method (FEM) in this article. The mechanical properties of the uncured rubber from different tire components are investigated through cyclic loading-unloading experiments under different strain rates. Based on the experiments, an elasto-viscoplastic constitutive model is adopted to describe the mechanical behaviors of the uncured rubber. The distinct mechanical properties, including the stress level, hysteresis and residual strain, of the uncured rubber can all be well characterized. The whole tire building process (including component winding, rubber bladder inflation, component stitching and carcass band folding-back) and the shaping process are simulated using this constitutive model. The simulated green tire profile is in good agreement with the actual profile obtained through 3D scanning. The deformation and stress of the rubber components and the cord reinforcements during production can be obtained from the FE simulation, which is helpful for judging the rationality of the tire construction design. Finally, the influence of the parameter “drum width” is investigated, and the simulated result is found to be consistent with the experimental observations, which verifies the effectiveness of the simulation. The established simulation strategy provides some guiding significance for the improvement of tire design parameters and the elimination of tire production defects.

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