Driving Innovation in Tire–Soil Interaction: CenTiRe-Funded Project Successfully Completed

We are excited to announce the successful completion of a CenTiRe-funded research project, “Characterization and Modeling of Deformable Soils for Tire Performance Simulation” conducted from August 2022 through May 2026.

This project tackles one of the most challenging frontiers in tire performance prediction: accurately modeling tire behavior on deformable soils. While simulation on rigid pavement is well established, real-world applications often involve complex terrains where soil deformation, moisture content, and material variability significantly influence traction and rolling resistance.

For tire manufacturers and mobility innovators, the ability to reliably simulate tire performance on soft and variable ground conditions is a game changer. This project delivers:

• Advanced, validated models for tire–soil interaction across cohesive, non-cohesive, and partially saturated soils
• Integration of cutting-edge numerical techniques, including FEM, XFEM, and meshless methods
• A practical and efficient calibration methodology for soil material models using lab and field data
• Strong correlation between simulation results and experimental traction performance

These capabilities enable more accurate design decisions, reduced testing costs, and faster product development cycles—particularly for off-road, agricultural, and specialty tire applications.

A key benefit of CenTiRe membership is direct access to project outputs. All deliverables from this project are now available to our industry members, including:

• Comprehensive literature reviews and benchmarking studies
• Fully developed and validated simulation frameworks
• Implemented constitutive soil models in commercial FE platforms
• Calibration methodologies ready for practical application
• Extensive simulation results validated against experimental data
• A strong portfolio of peer-reviewed publications and ongoing journal submissions

These resources are designed to be immediately actionable for industry partners looking to enhance their simulation capabilities.

This work was led by an exceptional research team at Virginia Tech. Special thanks to:

• Prof. Costin Untaroiu
• Prof. Alexandrina Untaroiu

and graduate researchers:

• Dhruvin Jasoliya
• Maheep Bubna
• Akeem Shokanbi

Their technical leadership and dedication were critical to the success of this effort.

Projects like this highlight the value of collaborative, industry-driven research. If your organization is looking to stay at the forefront of tire technology, CenTiRe offers a unique opportunity to:

• Gain early access to cutting-edge research and tools
• Help shape future research directions
• Collaborate directly with leading faculty and top graduate talent
• Accelerate innovation within your organization

We welcome new industry partners to join us. If you’re interested in learning more about CenTiRe membership and how your organization can benefit, please reach out—we’d be happy to connect.