Impact Resistance of Automobile Tires

Abstract The construction and operation of a high speed plunger test machine to determine the impact energy required to produce failure of automobile tires are described. The equipment has been designed to operate over an energy range of 1500 to 15,000 in. lb at preselected velocities between 40 and 100 mph and at preselected temperatures between 75 and 300° F. These ranges are adequate to permit the testing of passenger tires over a range of conditions simulating those encountered in high speed driving. The test machine consists of a pneumatic gun for propelling the plunger at an inflated tire, mounted in a temperature controlled cabinet, and photoelectric devices for measuring plunger velocity. In a test the kinetic energy of the plunger is increased in increments, until failure occurs. The minimum kinetic energy required to cause failure of the tire fabric is taken as a measure of the carcass breaking energy. Data on rayon and nylon cord tires indicate that the breaking energy of a tire is dependent on both speed and temperature and that the relationship between energy, speed, and temperature depends on the cord-reinforcing material in the tire. As a result it is impossible to predict the relative impact resistance of tires under use conditions on the basis of laboratory test results obtained with the standard static plunger test, in which the plunger penetrates the tire at 2 in./min at room temperature.