Space–time Isogeometric Analysis of Tire Aerodynamics with Complex Tread Pattern, Road Contact, and Tire Deformation

The space–time (ST) computational method “ST-SI-TC-IGA” and recently-introduced complex-geometry isogeometric analysis (IGA) mesh generation methods have enabled high-fidelity computational analysis of tire aerodynamics with near-actual tire geometry, road contact, tire deformation, and aerodynamic influence of the car body. The tire geometries used in the computations so far included the longitudinal and transverse grooves. Here, we bring the tire geometry much closer to an actual tire geometry by using a complex, asymmetric tread pattern. The complexity of the tread pattern required an updated version of the NURBS Surface-to-Volume Guided Mesh Generation (NSVGMG) method, which was introduced recently and is robust even in mesh generation for complex shapes with distorted boundaries. The core component of the ST-SI-TC-IGA is the ST Variational Multiscale (ST-VMS) method, and the other key components are the ST Slip Interface (ST-SI) and ST Topology Change (ST-TC) methods and the ST Isogeometric Analysis (ST-IGA). They all play a key role. The ST-TC, uniquely offered by the ST framework, enables moving-mesh computation even with the topology change created by the contact between the tire and the road. It deals with the contact while maintaining high-resolution flow representation near the tire.The computational analysis we present is the first of its kind and shows the effectiveness of the ST-SI-TC-IGA and NSVGMG in tire aerodynamic analysis with complex tread pattern, road contact, and tire deformation.