New Technology Simulates Tyre Behaviour

A new supercomputer based technology has been developed in order to simulate tyre performance. The new technology, devised by Bridgestone and dubbed Comprehensive Road Surroundings Simulation (CROSS), promises to raise efficiency in developing optimal tread patterns. The system is able to simulate tyre behaviour on unpaved roads and off the road and in sunny, rainy, and snowy conditions. Bridgestone believes its new technology will help streamline work in optimising tread patterns on tyres for four-wheel-drive vehicles, earthmoving equipment, agricultural machinery, all-terrain vehicles, and other vehicles that operate on unpaved surfaces.

Bridgestone’s announcement comes after engineers from the company presented a paper on terramechanics, the behaviour of soil under loads, at a September conference of the Tyre Society in the US. Terramechanics simulation technology is the latest addition to Bridgestone’s portfolio of simulation tools. The company announced new hydroplaning simulation technology in 1999 for analysing water flow under tyre treads on wet surfaces. In 2001, it announced technology for simulating tyre performance on snow.