Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Science/2018 December 15

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December 15

Adaptive springs, all steel wheels

Are cars with no rubber tires, made of a tough and hard steel, on the horizon? I was thinking that with computer sensing of bumps and potholes, the springs , maybe with the support of quick reacting solenoids, could give an acceptable ride for some applications.Rich (talk) 21:02, 15 December 2018 (UTC)

What would they do to the roads? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 21:57, 15 December 2018 (UTC)

(Edit conflict) In addition to the smoothness of the ride, you would also have to consider the friction between the steel wheels and the road (probably less than with rubber tires) and the increased wear on the roads caused by stiffer and harder tires.--Wikimedes (talk) 22:03, 15 December 2018 (UTC)

Computer sensing of bumps and potholes only goes so far. If the mass of the wheels/tires was zero, a clever enough active suspension could pull up the wheels going over bumps and push them down going over potholes while keeping the car smooth and level. Alas, the mass of the wheels/tires isn't zero, and thus when you push the wheel down you push the rest of the car up. This is where pneumatic rubber tires shine: essentially the contact patch acts as an additional suspension spring with close to the ideal of a zero-mass wheel. There are further complications: See unsprung mass. --Guy Macon (talk) 22:23, 15 December 2018 (UTC)

Think about how smooth a rail is compared with a road. Also, they won't grip. Greglocock (talk) 22:29, 15 December 2018 (UTC)

Yes, see slippery rail. Alansplodge (talk) 19:42, 17 December 2018 (UTC)

There are experimental wire mesh wheels, which are mostly "empty" space and shouldn't weigh more than a normal wheel and tyre. The LRV is probably the most famous vehicle fitted with them. --TrogWoolley (talk) 14:04, 17 December 2018 (UTC)

NASA shows off Mars rover tires that bounce back into shape (November 2017). Alansplodge (talk) 19:45, 17 December 2018 (UTC)

The future is already here - see @ 2:08. PaleCloudedWhite (talk) 19:56, 17 December 2018 (UTC)