In-plane vibration modal analysis of heavy-loaded radial tire with a larger flat ratio

Experimental modal analysis, dynamic modeling and parameter identification is employed to investigate the in-plane vibration modal characteristic of a heavy-loaded radial tire with a larger flat ratio. In-plane vibration characteristic of heavy-loaded radial tire is modeled as flexible beam on modified elastic foundation model and flexible tread and distributed sidewall are respectively modeled as the Euler beam and distributed mass element with sectional stiffness. Analytic relationship between the modal resonant frequency and the structural parameters is solved and derived with modal expansion method. The in-plane coupling modal between the flexible tread and sidewall is investigated experimentally. The unknown structural parameters are identified by the genetic algorithm based on the experimental and analytical modal parameter. The higher order modal frequency is predicted with the identified structural parameters and the influence of structural parameters on the modal parameters is compared. Experimental and theoretical result shows that: the experimental modal analysis and theoretical modeling method with the coupling feature of flexible tread, distributed sidewall and rim can accurately characterize the in-plane vibration feature of heavy-loaded radial tire within the frequency band of 300 Hz, compared with the method which only considers the flexible feature of tread and is limited to 180 Hz.