A Mathematical Model for Predicting the Effects of Tyre Pressure on Fuel Consumption

This study studies the relationship between tyre pressure and fuel consumption of vehicles using experimental methods and mathematical model to predict vehicle fuel consumption. The model obtained was F = 0.62722.5941p+3.3428p±0.018 where F is the fuel consumed and p is the tyre pressure of a vehicle, which can also be used to predict the amount of fuel consumed by other vehicles. The model was validated with its own data which showed a deviation of ±5% which is within experimental error. Using the recommended tyre pressures the model reduces the fuel consumption by 17.6% thus reducing cost of fuel. From the experiment, it was observed that the relationship between the fuel consumption and the tyre pressures of various vehicles is in the form of F = B2p B1p+B0± e, where B0, B1, B2 and ‘e’ depends on other factors of the vehicle such as the age of the vehicle and the conditions under which the measurements were taken. This equation can be used to predict fuel consumptions for vehicles when their tyre pressures are known. In all, it was seen from the research that any deviation in tyre pressure of vehicles resulted in an additional fuel consumed by vehicles. It is recommend that, there should be a massive public education or awareness about the need to keep recommended tyre pressure at all times because when tyre pressure falls below the recommended value, the decrease in the pressure invariably leads to an increase in fuel consumption.