Abstract: A method for determining preselected performance characteristics of a tire tread includes the steps of dividing the tread into a 3-D grid of cells; dividing a tread contact area into longitudinal and transversal strips; associating a longitudinal or transversal stiffness value with each strip using a linear relationship; assigning a preselected deformation state to each longitudinal and transversal strip; determining at least one single force, associated with each strip and acting in the longitudinal or transversal direction by means of the stiffness value and the deformation state; determining at least one total force associated with each contact area by summing all single forces, the total force representing at least one of the performance characteristics; determining a pattern of the total forces of all the contact areas; and analyzing the pattern of total forces to evaluate whether they assume values that optimize at least one preselected performance characteristic of the tread.

Abstract: A method for determining preselected characteristics of a tread of a tire comprises dividing the tread into a grid of cells forming piles of full, empty and partially full cells and grouped into strips of preselected dimensions; associating with each strip of piles of cells a stiffness value K which is linearly bound to the number n of consecutive piles of full cells by means of an angular coefficient m, which, in turn, is linearly bound to the total number i of empty cells contained in two piles of partially full or empty cells delimiting the consecutive piles of full cells; determining at least one single force F for each strip by means of the stiffness value K, a preselected deformation state and the total transversal and longitudinal forces Ft, associated with all contact areas to evaluate whether they assume values which optimize at least one preselected performance characteristic of the tread (FIG. 2).