Traction practices - Why

EXPLANATION FOR COMMON PRACTICES TO INCREASE TRACTION

1. Deflating tyre for travel over ice and loose sand(desert)
By deflating tyre we are increasing the softness, also the tyre patch on ground. This will also increase the energy stored and released as more surface comes in contact with the ground.


Energy is lost in flexing the tyres – which is evident from the extra consumption of fuel.

2. Wider tyres
This increase the footprint on the ground.

3. ABS System
One of the main functions of the ABS system is to avoid the slippage of the tyre to maintain better traction. To understand this – the maximum force is that we can avail during acceleration or braking depends on the Co-efficient of static friction as all other factors remain the same. During slipping there is relative motion between the surface and the tyre – which reduces the maximum braking force from µM1g to µ1M1g – where µ1 is the coefficient of sliding friction which is lesser than the maximum value of Co-efficient of static friction.

4. Traction control system in F1 cars
Due to huge torque at the wheels of F1 cars, the wheel starts spinning in case of an F1 cars – which will reduce the maximum acceleration (acceleration calculation below). So to avoid slipping of the tyres the traction control system cuts the torque that is available at the wheels momentarily or apply braking.

5. Use of Spikes to increase the traction
Refer to figure in the section ‘surface on which it is rolling’. To increase the reaction force from the ground.