Aircraft Tyre Spin-up Dynamics: A review and a new strategy to reduce Tyre Temperature and ground Loads

Due to the static condition of the wheels at touchdown, they skid on the runway, which may cause the tires to burn and wear. This phenomenon occurs in a fraction of a second known as the spin-up period. This paper focuses on the temperature and drag load control of aircraft tires during the spin-up process. Firstly, the dynamics of the spin-up phase is reviewed. Secondly, a strategy to prevent excessive temperature and wear of the tire is presented, consisting of utilizing a lubricant and coolant, such as water, at the spin-up stretch of the runway. Wetting the spin-up part of the runway also reduces the friction coefficient and consequently decreases the amount of the horizontal shock or load, resulting in a relatively soft landing which improves the fatigue life of the landing gear and aircraft structure. A rough quantitative analysis demonstrates that the wetting of tires in the spin-up phase decreases the loads and tire wear. We also predict that controlling the tire temperature during the spin-up period can significantly reduce the tire wear in the subsequent braking and taxiing phases.