Abstract
Tread wear data are frequently fitted by a straight line having average groove depth as the ordinate and mileage as the abscissa. The authors have observed that the data points are not randomly scattered about the line but exist in runs of six or seven points above the line followed by the same number below the line. Attempts to correlate these cyclic deviations with climatic data failed. Harmonic content analysis of the data for each individual groove showed strong periodic behavior. Groove 1, a shoulder groove, had two important frequencies at 40 960 and 20 480 km (25 600 and 12 800 miles); Grooves 2 and 3, the inside grooves, had important frequencies at 10 240, 13 760, and 20 480 km (6400, 8600, and 12 800 miles), with Groove 4 being similar. A hypothesis is offered as a possible explanation for the phenomenon.
