An Experimental Investigation of Pressure Distribution in the Flow Field of Aircraft Radial Tire Blowout

Abstract

The results of an experimental and analytical study on aircraft radial tire blowout are presented in this paper. A new experimental method was introduced to study the flow field of tire blowout, including the design of an airfoil-shaped support rod and the arrangement of transducers. In this study, several radial tires with the same blowout pattern were tested and variations in blast pressures in time at all test points were presented. Based on the test data, an analytical model accurately describing the peak pressure distribution in the flow field of radial tire blowout was derived. Using the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) model and approximation results, the peak pressure distributions at angles of 0, 15, 30, and 45 degrees from the blowout centerline and at distances of 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 mm to the tire face were investigated. It was shown that pressure distribution is dependent on the angle from the centerline and the distance to the tire face. In addition, variations in equivalent static pressure with angle and distance were analyzed. The transient process of radial tire blowout was presented through high-speed video data, and the fracture mode of radial tires was summarized. Finally, the potential effects of tire blowout on nearby equipment and personnel were studied and safety precautions suggested.