Vibro-acoustic analysis of tire and rim finite element model coupled with fluid acoustic cavity

Vehicle vibration and noise characteristics play a major role in ride comfort. Noise of tire in contact with the road is one of the main sources of noise in passenger cars, caused by the rolling of tire on uneven surfaces. Excitation imports through tread structure to fluid cavity and noise and vibrations transmission to the rims is of particular importance. In this paper, vibration analysis of coupled acoustic model of tire, rim and fluid acoustic cavity is performed. For this purpose, a coupled numerical finite element model is used. First, tire modeling has been addressed, taking into account the tread and two side walls and steel wheel rim. Then modal analysis has been performed to identify the structural and acoustic resonance frequencies and mode shapes. Then, using the harmonic environment coupled with static and modal analyses, acoustically coupled models of tire, rim and cavity are used to calculate the acoustic pressure of the fluid cavity, and sound pressure level, and the harmonic frequency response of the wheel hub system including the forces of wheel hub is discussed. According to the presented model, the parameters affecting tire noise levels are discussed.