Abstract:
Critical stresses responsible for static failure of tire sidewalls were predicted using MATLAB PDE Toolbox.A model ofthe tire sidewall was developed using the PDE toolbox GUI draw tool and the parameters characterizing the linear isotropic elastic behaviour of rubber vulcanizates were established. The study was developed on maximum inflation pressure of 0.2206MPa and results obtained from the study indicates that the tire material developed from Natural Rubber/Rubber Seed oil modified kaolin composite are acceptable under static analysis with critical stress values of 5-25MPa obtained around the tire sidewall which are higher than the applied maximum inflation pressure. The maximum shear stress obtained is 15MPa at the periphery of the sidewall while the values obtain within the sidewalls ranges from -10 to 10MPa. The 2D FE model computations for static loading of the tire gave reasonably good prediction of the critical stresses responsible for failure and proved that the new tire material developed to be functional for tire sidewall applications.
