Design and finite element analysis of a composite modular airless tyre

Sivarao Subramonian; Kumaran Kadirgama; Zuhair Khalim; Shukor Salleh; Umesh Vates; Satish Pujari; Sara Lee Kit Yee; Devarajan Ramasamy; Anuar Kassim; Sivarao Subramonian; Kumaran Kadirgama; Zuhair Khalim; Shukor Salleh; Umesh Vates; Satish Pujari; Sara Lee Kit Yee; Devarajan Ramasamy; Anuar Kassim

doi:10.3934/matersci.2025058

AIMS Materials Science

2025, Volume 12, Issue 6: 1246-1264. doi: 10.3934/matersci.2025058

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Research article

Design and finite element analysis of a composite modular airless tyre

1.
Centre of Smart System and Innovative Design, Faculty of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering and Technology, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, 76100 Durian Tunggal, Melaka, Malaysia
2.
Faculty of Mechanical & Automotive Engineering Technology, University Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, 26600 Pekan, Pahang, Malaysia
3.
Mechanical Engineering Department, Amity University, 201301, Uttar Pradesh, Noida, India
4.
Lendi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Vizianagaram, 535005, Andhra Pradesh, India
5.
Centre for Energy, Vibration and Acoustics Research (CEVA) Faculty of Engineering and Technology Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology, 53300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
6.
Center of Robotics and Industrial Automation, Faculty of Technology and Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, 76100 Durian Tunggal, Melaka, Malaysia

Received: 13 September 2025 Revised: 24 October 2025 Accepted: 06 November 2025 Published: 09 December 2025

Conventional pneumatic tires face persistent challenges, including susceptibility to punctures, pressure loss, and significant environmental waste from end-of-life disposal. These limitations necessitate the development of next-generation tire technologies. This study presents the design and comprehensive analysis of a novel modular airless tire (MAT) as a sustainable, maintenance-free alternative. The MAT architecture features radially distributed, independently replaceable composite leaf springs and tread segments, a design intended to maximize service life and minimize waste. A comparative performance evaluation was conducted using finite element analysis (FEA) to assess two advanced composite materials, namely carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) and glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP). The analysis simulated static loading conditions based on a real-world vehicle platform to evaluate key performance metrics, including total deformation, equivalent von-Mises stress, and composite-specific failure criteria. Results indicate that CFRP exhibits vastly superior stiffness and strength, with 52% lower deformation and 31% higher stress resistance compared to GFRP under identical loads. The findings highlight MAT’s potential to surpass pneumatic tires in durability and sustainability. Specifically, the CFRP variant is identified as the optimal material for high-performance applications, paving the way for a revolutionary, cost-efficient, and environmentally responsible tire design that addresses the core deficiencies of current technologies.
Citation: Sivarao Subramonian, Kumaran Kadirgama, Zuhair Khalim, Shukor Salleh, Umesh Vates, Satish Pujari, Sara Lee Kit Yee, Devarajan Ramasamy, Anuar Kassim. Design and finite element analysis of a composite modular airless tyre[J]. AIMS Materials Science, 2025, 12(6): 1246-1264. doi: 10.3934/matersci.2025058

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Abstract

Conventional pneumatic tires face persistent challenges, including susceptibility to punctures, pressure loss, and significant environmental waste from end-of-life disposal. These limitations necessitate the development of next-generation tire technologies. This study presents the design and comprehensive analysis of a novel modular airless tire (MAT) as a sustainable, maintenance-free alternative. The MAT architecture features radially distributed, independently replaceable composite leaf springs and tread segments, a design intended to maximize service life and minimize waste. A comparative performance evaluation was conducted using finite element analysis (FEA) to assess two advanced composite materials, namely carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) and glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP). The analysis simulated static loading conditions based on a real-world vehicle platform to evaluate key performance metrics, including total deformation, equivalent von-Mises stress, and composite-specific failure criteria. Results indicate that CFRP exhibits vastly superior stiffness and strength, with 52% lower deformation and 31% higher stress resistance compared to GFRP under identical loads. The findings highlight MAT’s potential to surpass pneumatic tires in durability and sustainability. Specifically, the CFRP variant is identified as the optimal material for high-performance applications, paving the way for a revolutionary, cost-efficient, and environmentally responsible tire design that addresses the core deficiencies of current technologies.

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