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RESEARCHHES ON THE
T DEV
VELOPM MENT OF AN
EQUA
ATION FOR
F THE
E CONTAACT AREA CALCULUS
FO
OR AGRIICULTURRAL TIR
RES
1)
S. ŞT. BIRIŞ
B LĂDUŢ2), N. UNGUREAN
, V. VL U NU1), M. MAT
TACHE2), I. V
VOICEA2)
1)
”Poolitehnica” Unniversity of Bu
ucharest, Rom
mania,
2)
INMA
A Bucharest, Romania
R

SUMMARY
Y
Tirre is an imporrtant constituttive element fo
or agriculturall vehicles, duee to its
multipiple functions:: ensure propper adhesion to the rollingg track, safetyy and
resisttance to highh-speed movem ment, attenuatte the shocks caused by uuneven
rollinng tracks, takee the loads disttributed on whheels, contribuute to the comffort of
passeengers or opeerators. Througgh tire contacct area, agriccultural vehiclle and
rollinng track are liinked togetherr. In tire contaact area are applied
a the trraction
forcess for vehicle propulsion,
p brraking, normall reactions, etcc. In this papeer was
develloped a compleex mathematiccal model to geenerate the coontour of the contact
area between the tire t and rollinng track and for
f the calculuus of the surfa face of
contaact area, depennding of tire geometry
g and on
o the deflectioon characteristics of
the tiire, which alloows the explooitation of pneeumatic tire foor agricultural land
vehiccles. Theoreticaal studies andd experimentall researches deeveloped withiin this
paperr emphasized the t fact that 2--D contact areea is elliptical when tire defllection
is small, but it becoomes rectangullar with curved d edges as the deflection inccrease.
The model predictions were veerified by meeans of the experimentale rresults
obtaiined using the tires of an aggricultural tra ailer. Simulatioon studies inddicated
t elaboratedd equations cann be useful forr predicting thhe details of coontact
that the
geommetry under varrying load, inflflation pressuree, and tire geom
metry conditions.
Keey words Wheeel, tire, agriculltural land veh
hicle, contact area
a

INTRODUCTION
The termm “contact arrea” refers too the portion of wheel orr tire in conttact with the
supporting surface
s [9], whhich is an impportant indicattor of the loadd-carrying cappability of the
tire. Tires have
h the follow
wing functionns for a land vehicle:
v attenuuate the shockks caused by
uneven rolliing tracks, ensure proper adhesion
a to the rolling trackk, safety and resistance to

40. Sympoosium "Actuaal Tasks on Agricultural

A Engineering",
E , Opatija, Crooatia, 2012.

181
 S. Şt. Biriş, V. Vlăduţ, N. Ungureanu, M. Matache, I. Voicea

high-speed movement, takes the loads distributed on wheels, and contribute to the comfort
of operators or passengers.
Tire inflation pressure has influence on the shape of the contact surface between tire and
soil, the distribution of stresses in the soil and thus, and on the phenomenon of soil
compaction. Also, tire inflation pressure has a significant influence on the rolling and
adhesion characteristics of the wheels, being a decisive factor on the fuel consumption
required for the movement of agricultural vehicles (Gill and Vanden Berg, 1968; Wulfsohn,
1987; Upadhyaya, 1990). Tire performances for various conditions of the rolling track, at
different dynamic loads and inflation pressures are very important parameters for the
increase of efficiency in tire exploitation. Upadhyaya (1990) found that in addition to tire
geometry, the parameters of rolling track and loading, rolling track – tire contact area were
important parameters which influence the tractive capacity of tires [8]. Abeels (1976)
studied the effect of tire load and tire construction parameters on width of tire enlargement,
length of contact track, and its shape [1, 8]. Komandi (1976) [3] established empirical
relationships for tire contact width, contact length, and contact area [8]. Also, very
important are the contributions of Koolen and Kuipers (1983) [4] for the elaboration of
some expressions for the elliptical contact area between tire and a hard surface.
“Static contact area” represents the contact area on rigid or deformable surfaces when
the tire is statically loaded through its rim without any forward movement [9].
Figure 1 illustrates the principal parameters of the tire. Tire diameter (overall diameter)
is twice the section height of a new tire, including 24-hour inflation growth, plus the
nominal rim diameter. This overall unloaded diameter can be obtained from tire data
handbooks, which are available from off-road tire manufacturers. Tire static loaded radius
is the dimension measured from the axle centreline to the ground, when the tire is under the
load.

Fig. 1 Vehicle tire, unloaded and loaded Fig. 2 Tire deformation under the action of
an external load

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 Researches on the development of an equation for the contact area calculus for agricultural tires

THEORETICAL ELEMENTS
According to Hedekel’s equation (Fig. 2), tire deformation is given by the relationship
[4]:

F
f = [mm] (1)
2 ⋅ π ⋅ pi ⋅ R ⋅ r

where: F – vertical load on the wheel, [N]; pi – air pressure inside the tire, [MPa]; R – free
radius of the wheel, [mm]; r – radius of tire rolling path in cross section, [mm].
Static tire radius is given by:

Rs = R − f [mm] (2)

and the lenght of the contact chord is:

L = 2 ⋅ R 2 − Rs2 [mm] (3)

The empirical model of calculus for the contact area with the soil for agricultural tires
proposed by Komandi [3] is:

b
Asoil = c ⋅ F 0.7 ⋅ ⋅ pi−0.45 [mm2] (4)
D

where: c –constant; F –wheel load, (N); b –tire vidth, (mm); D –tire diameter, (mm); pi –
inflation pressure, (MPa). Constant c for different substrates has following values
(Komandi, 1976): c=0.3-0.32 for rather bearing soil, c=0.36-0.38 for sandy field, and
c=0.42-0.44 for loose sand.
3D coordinates of a random point M found on both the tire and on the outline of the
contact area can be determined according to the equations [8]:

⎧ x M = R2 ⋅ sin φ
⎪
⎨ y M = [R1 − R2 ⋅ (1 − cos φ )] ⋅ sin θ (5)
⎪ z = [R − R ⋅ (1 − cos φ )] ⋅ cos θ
⎩ M 1 2

where: R1 - overall tire radius, and R2 - tread radius.

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 S. Şt. Biriş, V. Vlăduţ, N. Ungureanu, M. Matache, I. Voicea

Fig. 3 Tire geometry

On a hard surface (Fig. 3), under the action of an external load F, tire deforms on
direction z with δ z , while the outline of the contact area can be described by the points of
intersection with plane z = R1 − δ z , respectively [8]:

y 2 + z 2 = (R1 − R2 + R2 ⋅ cos φ ) ⇔ y 2 + (R1 − δ z ) = (R1 − R2 ⋅ cos φ )

2 2 2
(6)
or:

R2 ⋅ cos φ = (R1 − δ z )2 + y 2 − (R1 − R2 ) (7)

By squaring equation (7), it is found that:

R22 ⋅ cos 2 φ = (R1 − δ z ) + y 2 + (R1 − R2 ) − 2 ⋅ (R1 − R2 ) ⋅ (R1 − δ z )2 + y 2

2 2
(8)

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 Researches on the development of an equation for the contact area calculus for agricultural tires

However, the left term can also be written as:

( )
R22 ⋅ cos 2 φ = R22 ⋅ 1 − sin 2 φ = R22 − R22 ⋅ sin 2 φ (9)
If:
x = R2 ⋅ sin φ (10)
then:
R22 ⋅ cos 2 φ = R22 − x 2 (11)

after replacing in equation (8), it results:

R22 − x 2 = (R1 − δ z ) + y 2 + (R1 − R2 ) − 2 ⋅ (R1 − R2 ) ⋅ (R1 − δ z )2 + y 2

2 2
(12)

Respectively [8]:
2
⎛ y ⎞
R22 − (R1 − R2 ) − (R1 − δ z ) = x 2 + y 2 − 2 ⋅ (R1 − R2 ) ⋅ (R1 − δ z ) ⋅ 1 + ⎜⎜ ⎟
2 2
⎟ (13)
⎝ R1 − δ z ⎠

If following condition is accomplished:

y
<< 1 (14)
R1 − δ z

approximation can be done [8]:

2 2
⎛ y ⎞ 1 ⎛ y ⎞
1 + ⎜⎜ ⎟ ≅ 1+ ⋅⎜
⎟
⎟ (15)
⎝ R1 − δ z ⎠ 2 ⎜⎝ R1 − δ z ⎟
⎠

After replacing in equation (13) and proper reductions it results that:

y2
(
x 2 + y 2 − δ z ⋅ (2 ⋅ R2 − δ z ) − R12 − R1 ⋅ R2 − R1 ⋅ δ z + R2 ⋅ δ z ⋅ ) =0 (16)
(R1 − δ z )2

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 S. Şt. Biriş, V. Vlăduţ, N. Ungureanu, M. Matache, I. Voicea

respectively:
⎡ R12 − R1 ⋅ R1 ⋅ δ z + R2 ⋅ δ z ⎤
δ z ⋅ (2 ⋅ R2 − δ z ) = x 2 + y 2 ⋅ ⎢1 − ⎥ (17)
⎣⎢ (R1 − δ z )2 ⎦⎥
or [8]:
R2 − δ z
δ z ⋅ (2 ⋅ R2 − δ z ) = x 2 + y 2 ⋅ (18)
R1 − δ z
For [8]:
⎧c 2 = δ z ⋅ (2 ⋅ R2 − δ z )
⎪
⎨ 2 R2 − δ z (19)
⎪b = R − δ
⎩ 1 z

equation (18) becomes:

c2 = x2 + b2 ⋅ y 2 (20)

respectively:
x2 y2
+ =1 (21)
c2 ⎛ c ⎞2
⎜ ⎟
⎝b⎠

Equation (21) describes an ellipse with large semi axis (c/b) and small semi axis c. If c is
larger than half of tire width, then the contact patch outline will also be composed of
straight lines, as shown in figure 4 [8,9]:

Fig. 1 Tire deformation on the rigid surface [8]

186
 Researches on the development of an equation for the contact area calculus for agricultural tires

Using equation (21), the contact length lc is obtained:

lc = 2 ⋅
c R −δz
= 2 ⋅ δ z ⋅ (2 ⋅ R2 − δ z ) ⋅ 1 = 2⋅
(2 ⋅ R 2 )
⋅ δ z − δ z2 ⋅ (R1 − δ z )
(22)
b R2 − δ z R2 − δ z

thus [8]:
lc δz ⎛ δ δ ⎞
= 2⋅ ⋅ ⎜⎜1 + z − z ⎟⎟ (23)
2 ⋅ R1 2 ⋅ R1 ⎝ 4 ⋅ R2 2 ⋅ R1 ⎠

Knowing tire diameter D = 2 ⋅ R1 , and if following conditions are accomplished [8]:

⎧ δz
⎪ 4 ⋅ R << 1
⎪ 2
⎨ (24)
δ
⎪ z << 1
⎩⎪ 2 ⋅ R1

equation (23) can be written as [8]:

lc δz lc δ
≅ 2⋅ ⇔ ≅ 2⋅ z (25)
2 ⋅ R1 2 ⋅ R1 D D

Equation (23) corresponds to the situation in which a random point on the tire near the
contact patch moves during static deformation after vertical direction, and equation (25)
describes the motion of the same point during deformation but after normal direction on tire
(Fig. 5).
Also, by considering figures 3 and 4, contact width is determined:

lw = 2 ⋅ c = 2 ⋅ δ z ⋅ (2 ⋅ R2 − δ z ) (26)

so [8]:

lw δz ⎛ δ ⎞ δz ⎛ δ ⎞
= 2⋅ ⋅ ⎜⎜1 − z ⎟⎟ = 2 ⋅ ⋅ ⎜⎜1 − z ⎟⎟ (27)
2 ⋅ R2 2 ⋅ R2 ⎝ 2 ⋅ R2 ⎠ 2 ⋅ R2 ⎝ 4 ⋅ R2 ⎠

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 S. Şt. Biriş, V. Vlăduţ, N. Ungureanu, M. Matache, I. Voicea

Fig. 5 Two possible situations for tire deformation

If following condition is accomplished [8]:

δz
<< 1 (28)
4 ⋅ R2

equation (27) can be written as [8]:

lw δz
≅ 2⋅ (29)
2 ⋅ R2 2 ⋅ R2

Still, if lw is higher than track width, then contact width is w.

Equation (27) applies to the case in which a point on the tire moves down on vertical
direction, and equation (29) corresponds to the case in which the same point on the tire
moves along the normal direction on tire surface.
If the contact area is elliptical, its surface can be calculated as [8]:

lc lw π
Ac = π ⋅ ⋅ = ⋅ lc ⋅ lw (30)
2 2 4

and for lw > w , the area of contact patch can be calculated using equation [8]:

⎛c 2 ⎞
⎜ ⋅ 1− x ⎟
⎜b c 2 ⎟
c⎝ ⎠
π c y
π
Ac = ⋅ lc ⋅ lw − 2 ⋅ ∫ ∫ dx ⋅ dy = ⋅ lc ⋅ lw − 4 ⋅ ∫ ∫ dx ⋅ dy (31)
4 w −y 4 w 0
2 2

188
 Reseaarches on the devvelopment of an equation
e for the co
ontact area calcullus for agriculturaal tires

MA
ATERIALS, METHODS AND
A RESUL
LTS
For expeerimental testss was used a monoax agriicultural traileer, type TR20000 (Fig. 6).
Loading cappacity of this trailer
t m of 650 kgg, being used for transport
is 20000 kg and the mass
operation inn wine culturee and fruit farrming or on public roads, in aggregate w with a 45 HP
2PR agricultuural tires (Fig. 7).
tractor. The trailer is equiipped with 10..00/75-15.3 12
During thhe tests, the trrailer was loaaded with mettallic weights so that the looad on wheel
was kept coonstant. Weigght on wheel value was 805 8 kg and itt was measurred using an
electronic laadometer. Conntact patch with
w the rigid surface was recorded
r by pprinting it on
paper sheetss and indigo.

Fig. 6 Monoax aggricultural trailler, model TR

R2000

F 7 Agriculttural tire 10.00

Fig. 0/75-15.3 12P
PR

For varioous measurem ments perform med during testings,

t the load on wheeel was kept
constant whhile inflation pressure was modified. Measurements
M were taken ffor following
inflation preessures: 0.1; 0.125; 0.15; 0.175; 0.2; 0.22
25; 0.25 MPa.

189
 S. Şt. Biriş, V. Vlăduţ, N. Ungureanu, M. Matache, I. Voicea

Figure 8 presents the tracks left by the tire on the rigid rolling surface, which were
recorded on indigo paper. The surface of each of these real contact tracks was measured
with a mechanical planemeter. Figure 8.a shows the contact track for the unloaded trailer
when inflation pressure was 0.25 MPa, while in figures 8(b,...., h) are presented the tracks
for loaded trailer, whose characteristics are given in table 1.

a) b) c) d)

e) f) g) h)

Fig. 8 Real contact track between tire and rigid rolling track

Table 1 – Size characteristics of contact track

pi f Rs L A1 lc lw A2 A3
Fig.
[MPa] [mm] [mm] [mm] [mm2] [mm] [mm] [mm2] [mm2]
0.1 56.92 333.07 405.77 72228.18 459.108 215.040 77500.71 45120 8.h
0.125 45.54 344.45 365.78 65109.49 399.172 197.656 61935.81 39710 8.g
0.15 37.95 352.04 335.63 59742.9 359.060 183.600 51750.1 36950 8.f
0.175 32.53 357.46 311.87 55512.88 329.476 172.043 44497.14 33200 8.e
0.2 28.46 361.53 292.52 52068.6 306.377 162.364 39049.55 31360 8.d
0.225 25.30 364.69 276.37 49193.93 287.645 154.120 34800.57 29690 8.c
0.25 22.77 367.22 262.62 46747.63 272.033 146.997 31390.76 26730 8.b

190
 Reseaarches on the devvelopment of an equation
e for the co
ontact area calcullus for agriculturaal tires

Table 1 gives
g the size characteristics
c s of contact traack for the sam
me load on thhe wheel (805
kg) and variious inflation pressures.
p Thee meaning of terms given inn columns aree:
• f – tire deformatiion, calculatedd using equatiion (1);
• Rs – static tire raadius, calculateed using equaation (2);
• l – lenght of the contact cord, calculated usiing equation (3);
(
• a of contacct track, calcullated as the area of a rectanggle: A1=L·w;
A1 – theoretical area
• lc – contact lengtth, calculated using equatio
on (22);
• lw – contact widtth, calculated using
u equation
n (26);
• A2 – theoretical area
a of contacct track, calcullated as the area of an ellipsse, (Eq. 30);
• A3 – real area of contact track,
t obtaineed experimenntally and meeasured with
meechanical planemeter;
• Figg. – corresponnding contact track
t from figu
ure 8.
Figure 9 shows an com mparative anallysis of the vaalues of theoretical contact areas A1 and
A2, respectivvely real area A3, accordingg to table 1.

Fig. 9 Compparative analyysis of the contact area betw

ween tire and rolling
r track, ddepending on
tire pressure

Figure 100 illustrates thhe influence of

o tire pressurre on the dimensional charracteristics of
the wheel (FFigure 2), resppectively tire deformation (Eq.
( 1), staticc radius Rs (E
Eq. 2) and the
length of conntact chord L (Eq. 3), for thhe wheel of an
n agricultural trailer
t model TR2000.

191
 S. Ştt. Biriş, V. Vlăduţţ, N. Ungureanu, M. Matache, I. Voicea
V

Fig. 10 Inffluence of tiree pressure on the

t dimension nal characteristics of the 10..00/75-15.3
12PR tire

Figure 111 presents the effect of inflaation pressure on the contacct area and onn the shape of
the ellipsoiddal outline off contact trackk. There are presented
p the theoretical elllipses drawn
according too equation (21) in a single scale
s disk, reprresenting ¼ of the contact ttrack.

250
p
p=0.1 MPa

200 p
p=0.125 MPa
p
p=0.15 MPa
150 p
p=0.175 MPa
]
y [mm]

p
p=0.2 MPa
[

100 p
p=0.225 MPa
p
p=0.25 MPa
50

0
0 50 100 150
0
x [mm]]

Fig. 111 Effect of infflation pressurre on the contaact area

192
 Researches on the development of an equation for the contact area calculus for agricultural tires

CONCLUSIONS
1. Equations (22), (26), respectively (30) can be used for the calculus of the contact length,
contact width, and contact area of the tires on rigid surfaces.
2. Experiments led to the conclusion that equations (22), (26), respectively (30) allow to
estimate the details of contact geometry under varying load, inflation pressure and tire
geometry parameters.
3. From figure 9 it is found that equation (30) used in the calculus of theoretical area of
contact track A2 is even more sensitive and closer to the real value of the surface of
contact track A3 when inflation pressure is higher. For lower values of inflation pressure
it was found a contiguity of the theoretical results for the calculus of surfaces A1 and A2.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This work was supported by POSDRU based on POSDRU/89/1.5/S/62557 financing
program.

REFERENCES
1. Abeels, RF.J., 1976, Tire deflection and contact studies. Journal of Terramechanics. Vol. 13(3),
pg. 183-194.
2. Gill W.R., Vandenberg G.E., 1968, Soil Dynamics in Tillage and Traction. U.S.A. Department of
Agriculture, Handbook 316, USA, Washington D.C.
3. Komandi, G., 1976, The determination of the deflection, contact area, dimensions, and load
carrying capacity for driven pneumatic tires operating on concrete pavement. Journal of
Terramechanics. Vol. 13(1), pg. 14-20.
4. Koolen A.J., Kuipers H., 1983, Agricultural Soil Mechanics. Advanced Series in Agricultural
Sciences, Vol. 13. Springer, Heidelberg, 241 pp.
5. Mohseninmanesh A., Ward S.M., 2007, Tractor tyre-road and tyre-soil interactions model using
ANSYS. Biosystems Engineering Research Review. University College Dublin, pg. 33-137.
6. Mohseninmanesh A., Ward S.M., 2007, Tractor tyre-road and tyre-soil interactions model using
ANSYS. Biosystems Engineering Research Review. University College Dublin, pg. 33-137.
7. Sorniotti A., Vigliani A., 2006, Numerical models for tyres simulation. International Conference
on Tribology AITC-AIT, 20-22 September, Parma, Italy.
8. Upadhyaya S.K., Wulfsohn D., 1990, Relationship between Tire Deflection Characteristics and 2-
D Tire Contact Area. Transactions of ASAE, Vol. 33(1), pg. 25-30.
9. Wulfsohn D., 2009, Soil-Tire Contact Area. Advances in Soil Dynamics. ASABE, Vol. 3, pg. 59-
84.

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