The air-filled or pneumatic tire is composed of a core filled with airtight sealed pressurized air. Typically, a tread made with reinforced steel belting or other materials, seals this inner core and provides the contact part with the road.
Since the air pressure in the tire is greater than atmospheric air pressure, the tire remains inflated even with a vehicles' weight resting on it. The pressure of the air inside the tire provides resistance against forces which attempt to deform the tire. When the tire hits bumps in the road, this gives the tire a slight degree of a cushioning effect. If you have ever taken a ride in an old-fashioned carriage which had wooden wheels, you understand exactly how huge of a difference a set of pneumatic tires can make.
Surely, there are some disadvantages to pneumatic tires. Like for instance in highly dangerous applications or high-performance situations, these tires can suffer a puncture and this would lead to a complete failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds could result in a dangerous car accident. Military planners should consider tires getting blown out by explosion shrapnel or firing of guns. A vehicle crew's worst nightmare is becoming trapped in a fire zone due to all of their tires becoming flat. Airless tires evidently don't suffer from these type of issues and therefore, can be more suitable in some applications.
Pneumatic tires have one more issue involving variations in tire performance and air pressure. Lower tire pressure could create improved traction and increased comfort. This is because of the fact that tires flatten slightly and more tread is placed in contact with the road. The air pressure inside of the tire works to maintain the "up and down" stiffness as well as maintain the lateral stiffness of the tire. Hence, less air pressure allows the tires' sidewalls to flex. Unfortunately, this results in poor handling. In an airless tire, the stiffness in those two dimensions is independent.
There are other issues with air pressure. Customers are notoriously undependable when it comes to maintaining correct air pressure. Tires which have improper air pressure can lead to dangerous situations. It is very essential to bear in mind that pneumatic tires are prone to temperature changes also, which could be responsible for changing the internal tire pressure. It is really essential to consider the type of settings you will be needing your machine to function in so that you could inspect the tires on a regular basis and keep the equipment as safe as possible.