Tire deformation plays a crucial role in achieving accurate aerodynamic simulations. PowerFLOW Best Practice recommends incorporating deformed tires into your analysis to get the most realistic results. However, determining the correct deformation for each tire can often be a challenging and time-consuming task—leading many to default to using undeformed tires as a workaround.

This is where Tire Automated Mesh Morphing comes in. When real deformation data is unavailable or difficult to obtain, this technique generates meaningful tire deformation that closely approximates the actual behavior. While it may not replicate every detail perfectly, it offers an acceptable approximation when compared to undeformed automation, allowing for a consistent and reliable approach.

Incorporating this method into the development phases ensures improved accuracy throughout the design process, helping you achieve more precise results without the significant delays or challenges of manual deformation. It's a valuable tool for anyone looking to enhance their aerodynamic analysis while streamlining the development workflow.

Key Features of the Tire Automated Mesh Morphing Tool

• Optimal Morph Lattice Envelope: Efficiently captures tire deformation with an optimal lattice structure.
• Deformation Translation: Converts deformation values into precise lattice node displacements.
• Empirical Model: Estimates contact patch and bulge size for better tire-ground interaction.
• Automatic Tire Detection: Detects tire position and orientation automatically for seamless integration.
• Camber Effect Control: Adjusts camber effect on deformation, either automatically or manually.
• Grooved & Treaded Tires Support: Works with both grooved and treaded tire designs.

These features ensure accurate, consistent results, making it easier to incorporate realistic tire deformation into your aerodynamic simulations.

How the Tool Works

To use the Tire Automated Mesh Morphing tool in PowerDELTA, the user provides several key inputs to define the tire geometry:

• Nastran Mesh: Nastran mesh for the tire, including PIDs that separate the outer casing from the inner surface.
• Loaded Tire Radius: The radius of the tire when loaded, measured normal to the ground.
• Loaded Tire Radius Offset: This optional input specifies the offset from the axis of rotation where the loaded radius is measured, activated when the loaded radius is a positive value.
• Tire Pressure: The inflating pressure of the tire (in bar), which affects the contact patch definition. While the tire radius plays the dominant role, the correct pressure can help fine-tune the contact area. If unknown, the default value of 2.5 bar is used.
• Tire Sink: This value ensures uniform intersection with the ground, particularly for grooved or deformed rotating treaded tires. The default sink value is 0, but values between 1 and 2 mm are typically recommended to achieve optimal results.

Once these inputs are provided, the tool generates a lattice geometry that can then be imported back into the same frame, allowing for the creation of the final deformed tire geometry.