Extended Multiphysics Capabilities / Extended Multiphysics Capabilities Example

Tire Hydroplaning

Hydroplaning takes place when a tire is lifted off the road by a wedge of water getting trapped under the leading edge of the tire as it travels through a puddle of water. The speed at which a tire hydroplanes is a function of the vehicle velocity, water depth, vehicle load, tire pressure, and most importantly the tread pattern depth and design. When the tire is unable to remove sufficient water from its path, water lifts the tire completely off the road, causing the vehicle to lose control.

It is important to gain insights into the interaction of a tire with a film of water in order to diagnose the onset of hydroplaning and minimize the tire's propensity to hydroplane. A coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian methodology, using a multi-material Finite Element formulation within Abaqus Unified FEA, is used to analyze the interaction of a tire with the water film. The tire is modeled in a Lagrangian framework and the water in an Eulerian framework. The effect of various parameters on the onset of hydroplaning are investigated using the methodology.