Traction Circle - Explained

Description of tyre (tire) grip and the traction circle. How much traction does a tyre have and how much frictional force can it supply to keep the car from sliding? A car can withhold the greatest sum of forces when it equates the acceleration/braking forces with the horizontal turning forces.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• traction
• circle
• Traction (engineering)
• Engineering
• tire
• grip
• tyre
• friction

[KillerZero259]

have you ever thought about doing videos on math and/or physics?

[EngineeringExplained]

@KillerZero259 I certainly have. I want to eventually do a video on engine parameters (there's a bunch!), and cover the basic engine cycle thermal analyses. Unfortunately I'm quite busy, so I'll be sticking with easier topics until the earliest being summer.

[raymondu99]

Also, the shape of the traction circle isn't equal. Different makes, compounds, constructions of tyre all have different shapes. I've seen traction "diamonds," "circles, ellipses, etc

[EngineeringExplained]

@raymondu99 If you watched to the end I mentioned that they are not perfect circles.

[EngineeringExplained]

@raymondu99 ahhh I see. Gotcha. Thanks for the clarification.

[raymondu99]

When youre at 45 degrees on the traction circle you're still at 1000 rather than 1414. The long/lat components should be added up in a vector, not scalar fashion

[EngineeringExplained]

@raymondu99 Correct, the magnitude of the two forces is still 1000, but if you look at the individual components their sum is greater than if you were at any other point on the circle. Example: the very top. 1000 acceleration, 0 turning friction force, sums to 1000, magnitude is 1000.

[pucksaver95]

Ahhhhh I get it now. Thats why karts and F1 cars can take so many g's. Less Weight times Sticky Tires = Amazing Turning Forces. These vids are fantastic btw.

[raymondu99]

@EngineeringExplained I know you did. My point is that; though you say it's an ellipse; that's not true. The shape depends on the tyre construction and compound. Some ARE ellipse; some are circular; some are slightly more diamond shaped; etc.

[raymondu99]

Yes but that's misleading. They are components of a 1000 N force, to the 45 degree they are not two lone forces. The acceleration you will get is still 1.

[raymondu99]

I should add - great job otherwise though