This report describes tests which have been carried out to assess the effect of road surface characteristics on tyre wear. The work was prompted by the current trend towards harsher and rougher surfaces for improving wet road skidding resistance. Two techniques for wearing tyres in a controlled manner were used; a fifth wheel method in which the wheel was forced to run at a fixed slip angle, and a method in which a vehicle was made to execute figure of eight manoeuvres thus wearing the test tyre which was fitted to a front wheel. The test surfaces were those on the Road Research Laboratory track, which cover a wide range of texture and skidding resistance.
Abstract