Design and Mechanical Properties Analysis of Non-Pneumatic Tire Based on Sinusoidal Metamaterial

Abstract

Non-pneumatic tires (NPTs), that eliminate the puncture risks inherent in traditional pneumatic tires have attracted growing research and practical interest in recent years. Sinusoidal metamaterial structures, known for their negative Poisson’s ratio, exhibit excellent performance in compression–tension conversion, energy absorption, and stable stress distribution, making them well suited as supporting structures for NPTs. In this study, a sinusoidal metamaterial configuration is applied to NPT design, and the influence of its key structural parameters on mechanical performance is systematically investigated. Based on mechanical property tests of rubber materials, a three-dimensional nonlinear finite element model simulating the interaction between the NPT and the road surface is established. Subsequently, parametric analyses are conducted to examine the effects of the sinusoidal period and amplitude on the mechanical behavior of the tire, including load-bearing capacity and stress distribution across components. Finally, the impacts of spoke array density and thickness on tire stiffness and strength are evaluated. The findings indicate that as the period of the sinusoidal spokes increases, the vertical stiffness of the tire increases; conversely, greater amplitude leads to reduced vertical stiffness, and higher spoke density and thickness result in decreased stress and strain, accompanied by increased overall tire stiffness. The results clarify the role of key geometric parameters in determining the static load-bearing characteristics of NPTs, providing a foundation and practical insights for their structural design. The identified trends in stiffness and stress distribution offer important guidance for future optimization of dynamic performance.