The pneumatic tire or air-filled tire consists of a core filled with airtight sealed pressurized air. Normally, a reinforced steel belted tread or other type of materials, provides the contact area with the road and seals this inner core.
As the pressure of the air in the tire is greater than atmospheric air pressure, the tire remains inflated even with the weight of the vehicle resting on it. The air pressure in the tire gives resistance against forces that try to deform the tire. This gives the tire a slight degree of a cushioning effect when the tire hits bumps in the road. If you have ever taken a ride in an old-fashioned carriage which had wooden wheels, you know precisely how big of a difference a set of pneumatic tires could make.
Of course, there are some drawbacks to pneumatic tires. Like for instance in highly dangerous applications or high-performance situations, these tires could suffer a puncture and this will lead to a complete failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds could lead to a dangerous car crash. Military planners have to take into account tires getting blown out by gunfire or explosion shrapnel. The worst nightmare of a vehicle crew is becoming trapped within a fire zone because of all of their tires becoming flat. Airless tires obviously don't suffer from these issues and therefore, can be more suitable in certain applications.
Pneumatic tires have another problem involving variations in tire performance and air pressure. Lower tire pressure can create improved traction and increased comfort. This is due to the fact that tires flatten a little and more tread is touching the road. The pressure of the air in the tire works to maintain the lateral stiffness of the tire as well as maintain the "up and down" stiffness. Thus, less air pressure allows the sidewalls of the tires to flex. Unfortunately, this leads to poor handling. In an airless tire, the stiffness in those two dimensions is independent.
Air pressure factors into other problems also. When it comes to maintaining proper air pressure, customers are notoriously undependable. Improper air pressure inside tires could lead to very unsafe situations. It is vital to bear in mind that pneumatic tires are susceptible to temperature changes also, that can be responsible for changing the internal tire pressure. It is very essential to consider the type of settings you will be needing your machinery to function in so that you can regularly inspect the tires and keep the machinery as safe as possible.