Thermo-Mechanical Coupling Analysis of Aircraft Tires Under Cyclic Tensile-Compressive Loading

Cyclic tensile-compressive loading during takeoff and landing causes hysteresis-induced heat accumulation in aircraft tires, resulting in a rapid temperature elevation that critically compromises flight safety. This study aims to precisely predict the thermal behavior of aircraft tires by investigating the heat generation of rubber material under varying rotational speeds and bending angles. A modular thermo-mechanical coupling simulation model was developed to analyze temperature evolution under cyclic loading, incorporating temperature-dependent material properties, particularly the thermal sensitivity of the loss factor. Results demonstrate a two-stage temperature rise characteristic in rubber materials. The stabilized temperature differences across all tested rotational speeds and bending angles remained within 3.5%, thereby validating the model's accuracy and effectively elucidating the heating mechanism under cyclic tensile-compressive loading. Consequently, this thermo-mechanical coupling simulation approach offers a reliable methodology for temperature prediction in aircraft tires and related applications.