FEA Simulation For Crack Growth Near Bead Coil Of Heavy Duty Radial Tires And The Life Estimate

Using the fracture mechanics method to study the rubber's fracture characteristic which takes much attention is a very popular problem in the tire industry. More and more academicians use the fracture mechanics method to resolve rubber materials's crack problems and they have got big success.Based on the uniaxial tension test results of every kind of rubber compounds in practical application of tire, we select Yeoh model, which can characterize mechanical properties of these compounds more accurately than the other existing hyperelastic constitutive models, and obtain the corresponding material parameters.With the application of ABAQUS software, we introduce fracture cell in the crack tip and found the finite element models with the edge crack, central crack and 45°central slant crack; Using the strain energy density parameter to analyze the crack orientations of the different crack models under simple tension. At the same time we prepare the rubber samples with three different cracks, which were tested under simple tension. The results of the crack orientations under simple tension by finite element analysis are compared with experimental results. Good agreement is achieved.After that, we found the 2-D finite element model of the 11. 00R20 heavy duty radial tire; Using the ABAQUS software, we simulate the crack orientations near the the bead coil of the radial tire under inflation load. By introducing the fine meshes in the steel bead section, we found this section has the "drawing out" displacement trend, and this trend was best embodied in the ends of bodyply, and also inducing severe shear deformation. So, by controlling the "drawing out" displacement trend to reduce the rubber's deformation in the ends of bodyply is the key factor to prevent the crack near the bead coil.Based on the crack orientations near the bead coil of the radial tire, using the Irwin virtual crack close technique to estimate the lifes of the several crack steps. And the results of the life by finite element analysis are compared with experimental results, Using this method to estimate the life of the radial tire has some practicality value.