Nonlinear behaviour of pultruded decks due to morphing of tyre loads

The spatial profile of the load exerted by a pneumatic tyre on pultruded glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) deck varies nonlinearly with magnitude load, owing to changes in tyre-deck contact zone’s shape, size and pressure distribution. This is rare problem which nonlinearity originates not constitutive behaviour or large displacements, but load’s 3D definition. paper addresses that three parts. First, fine grid overlaid colour-coded isobars recorded an electronic sensor tyre-pultruded contact-zones, obtain digital record distributions defining patch loads. Second, files are used as loads experimentally-validated FE analyses perfect defective GFRP decks. Third, uniformly-loaded square circular approximations alternately input model. Relative loads, patches enable prediction similar peak stresses up 45 kN (relevant for fatigue), while predictability at lower significant deviation above 25kN. In conclusion, FEA using spatially-defined digitally extracted from recordings recommended studying other tyres, inflation pressures geometries.