RUBBER FRICTION AND TIRE DYNAMICS: A COMPARISON OF THEORY WITH EXPERIMENTAL DATA

In this contribution we will present a theoretical approach towards understanding rubber friction. Here a simple rubber friction law is presented which can be used for tire and vehicle dynamics calculations. The friction law has been tested by comparing numerical results to the full rubber friction theory (B.N.J. Persson, J. Phys.: Condensed Matter 18, 7789 (2006)) and to experimental data. A two-dimensional (2D) tire model is introduced. The model combines the rubber friction law with a simple mass-spring description of the tire body. The tire model is very flexible and can be applied to different maneuvers. It can be used for calculating mu-slip curves, the self-aligning torque, braking and cornering or combined motion (e.g., braking during cornering). The theory predictions are compared to measured data from indoor tire testing on sandpaper substrate. We also present simulations of Anti-lock (ABS) braking using two different control algorithms.