Abstract: A method and system providing for tire tread design with improved noise characteristics is disclosed. The volume of air created by the lateral grooves that separate each tread block, referred to as a void, is computed at various sampling areas around a tire to generate a void function. The void function is measured at the boundaries of the tire footprint. The footprint of the tire is the portion of the tire that is in contact with the road surface. There is a correlation between the void function, and tire noise. Depending on the tread design, the void function changes as the tire rotates. By minimizing fluctuation in the void function over the course of a complete tire rotation, the tire noise can be reduced.

Abstract: A tire 10 has a plurality of shoulder tread elements 50 defined by lateral grooves 17a and 17b and circumferential grooves 15. The tread 12 of the tire 10 is pitched using three or more pitch sizes. Each pitch has a lateral groove 17a open to the adjacent circumferential groove 15 or closed to the adjacent circumferential groove as a function of a predetermined sequence of non-uniformity.