ABSTRACT
The use of studded tires has been a subject of controversy from the time they came into market. While studded tires contribute to traffic safety under severe winter conditions by increasing tire friction on icy roads, they also cause damage to the road surface when running on bare roads. Consequently, one of the main challenges in studded tire development is to reduce road wear while still ensuring a good grip on ice. Therefore, a research project was initiated to gain understanding about the mechanisms and influencing parameters involved in road wear by studded tires.
A test method using the institute's internal drum test bench was developed. Furthermore, mechanisms causing road wear by studded tires were derived from basic analytical models. These mechanisms were used to identify the main parameters influencing road wear by studded tires. Using experimental results obtained with the test method developed, the expected influences were verified. Vehicle driving speed and stud mass were found to be major factors influencing road wear. This can be explained by the stud impact as a dominant mechanism. By means of the test method presented, quantified and comparable data for road wear caused by studded tires under controllable conditions can be obtained. The mechanisms allow predicting the influence of tire construction and variable operating conditions on road wear.
