LEON-TYRE Project
LEON-T will contribute to introduce measures that are effective and widely accepted by investigating both particulate and noise emissions from tyres, and in doing so define and propose practical standardised methods for both lab and road testing—of tyre abrasion rate (mostly larger particles) and airborne particulate emissions. It will also be further investigated and modelled the dispersion and environmental fate of these particulate emissions. Also, the potential effects of tyre noise on cardiovascular health will be investigated using waking tests and sleep studies.
The insights gained in these investigations will be used to optimise the design, prototyping and demonstration of a novel airless tyre, which it is expected that will combine reduced noise, wear and emissions with high safety, reliability and comfort. Finally, LEON-T will make policy recommendations to mitigate against potential health hazards caused by tyre particulate and noise emissions.
There is broad scientific consensus exposure to airborne particulates and/or nocturnal noise leads to adverse health effects. Particulate emissions and noise emissions generated by tyre-road interaction are suspected to contribute to such exposure for those living near busy roads, but current data is inconclusive as to how such emissions depend on characteristics of road surface and driving style. Furthermore, tyre wear particles disperse from their generation at the road surface through the environment: in soil, water bodies and biota. However, quantification is currently lacking.
What is lacking is a body of evidence gathered through reproducible, standardised measurement methods allowing the introduction of justifiable, broadly supported legislative measures to limit particulate and noise emissions from tyres so as to reduce the risk they pose to public health and wellbeing. LEON-T addresses this hiatus.
LEON-T will furthermore use the knowledge gained to simulate, design, prototype and test innovative HGV airless tyres that combine the best safety and performance characteristics of current tyres with the lowest noise emissions and wear.
Read more here.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 955387.
