To investigate how an accelerating tire behaves dynamically, a team of engineers from Vision Research and Trilion Quality Systems turned to an optical measurement technique known as Digital Image Correlation (DIC). As part of a University of Alabama at Birmingham project supported by NATO’s Science for Peace and Security program, the engineers used DIC to map the strain and displacement on the surface of a tire accelerating to 65 mph. DIC utilizes two synchronized imaging devices—in this case, two Phantom v2640 high-speed cameras capable of recording 4-megapixel images at 6,600 frames per second. By combining the high-speed footage with 3D motion tracking software, the engineers observed surface deformations down to the micron level.
This study is one of the first investigations of how tires perform at high speeds and during accelerations with this level of accuracy. Made possible only through the power of high-speed imaging, it provides an experimental look into something that until now was only theoretical.
This study is one of the first investigations of how tires perform at high speeds and during accelerations with this level of accuracy. Made possible only through the power of high-speed imaging, it provides an experimental look into something that until now was only theoretical.