Non-Pneumatic Tire for On-Highway and Off-Road Mobility

The purpose of this proposal is to demonstrate the feasibility, through modeling and simulation, of integrating engineered polyhedral Phase Transforming Cellular Matrix (PXCM) materials as a dynamic, elastically deformable solution for non-pneumatic tires that can; 1) resist loss of mobility due to hazards that include ballistic/explosive threats, and road debris, 2) extend capability allowing the vehicle to continue its mission having sustained damage, and 3) meet the requirements for optimal performance in both on and off-highway applications. Engineered PXCM materials offer superior mechanical performance that cannot otherwise be obtained with traditional cellular structures. In particular, we surmise that PXCMs can provide good performance at relative high speed on pavement, and still provide good adaptability for the off-road environment. For tires designed to mitigate different sized obstacles, loading conditions, and variable terrain typically encountered in off-road scenarios (i.e. sand, mud, gravel, and snow), PXCMs can be designed to have an initial high stiffness and a tunable peak force/stress, at which point the cellular material transitions to a negative stiffness regime.