A Fatigue Simulation Approach for Long-Crack Propagation Phase of Radial Tires Using Modified Virtual Crack Closure Technique

Tire fatigue failure involves short-crack initiation and long-crack propagation. While the crack energy density effectively predicts short-crack propagation, the simulation of long-crack propagation requires improvement. In this study, we propose a fatigue simulation approach for radial tires using the modified virtual crack closure technique. We prefabricate cracks via hybrid submodel-composite modeling (tie constraint), calculate the strain energy release rate with the modified crack closure technique, and predict crack propagation. Groove crack experiments and finite element simulations on two all-steel radial truck tires verified the effectiveness of this approach. The approach provides a reliable tool for fatigue evaluation, aiding tire durability design and life prediction.