Fundamental Flex Fatigue Studies of Tire Sidewall Materials

Abstract

Abstract 1. Material, fabrication, and operating variables can be separately evaluated by the tearing-energy approach, and selection decisions are improved. 2. Results from a wide variety of laboratory and sevice conditions can be analyzed and compared by this general methodology. 3. Certain CIIR blend black sidewall compounds have inherent flex fatigue advantages over NR/BR compounds mainly due to their high levels of tearing energy sustainable before crack growth will begin. 4. The empirical approach used gives satisfactory cut-growth functions over a wide range of conditions with no need to assume the form of the function in advance. 5. Conventionally run fatigue-life experiments can be primarily influenced by maximum natural flaw sizes present and will not satisfactorily predict sidewall performance.