Relationship between the Tire Penetration Depth and the Road Surface Texture: a Theoretical Model and Its Practical Application

The penetration depth of tire rubber into the road surface texture is an important parameter for skid resistance, drainage ability, and acoustical performances of road surfaces. In this paper, the 3-D texture of 31 typical road surfaces was measured optically. The penetration depth of a test rubber into these surfaces was tested on a universal test machine. The classic contact mechanics model of Persson was applied to predict the penetration depth. The result of this theory deviates significantly from that obtained in the experiment. Probable problems of the classic model were discussed, which lie in the missing consideration of horizontal friction force and the drawbacks of PSD. A new variable was introduced to adjust the model, and the predicting accuracy of the model was improved.