Work

The Development of a Non-Pneumatic Tire Concept Based on a Fiber-Reinforced Epoxy Composite

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This paper investigates the use of glass and carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites with epoxy matrices for non-pneumatic tires (NPTs), as an alternative to conventional elastomer-based designs. A novel NPT design approach was developed in three steps: (i) a finite element model with isotropic material properties was constructed to identify suitable spoke geometries; (ii) an anisotropic parametric study quantified key parameters influencing the load-bearing capability of two selected concepts from step (i); and (iii) a preferred version was chosen from step (ii) and evaluated under multiple load cases to ensure it met all requirements. The final tire design incorporates thick spiral spokes superimposed with a cosine-like function, showcasing the strengths and limitations of non-elastomeric reinforced polymers for NPT design. This study provides innovative insights into reducing the mass of NPTs and demonstrates the potential of fiber-reinforced polymer composites to achieve more lightweight, durable, and efficient NPT designs in comparison to pneumatic ones.

Source: Polymers

DOI: 10.3390/polym17040505

Authors: Jonathan Andrä, Tales de Vargas Lisboa, Axel Spickenheuer

Institutions: Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research, Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Dresden – University of Applied Sciences

Language: English

Topic: Engineering and Materials Science Studies

Subfield: Mechanical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,258