The pneumatic tire or air-filled tire consists of a core filled with airtight sealed pressurized air. Typically, a reinforced steel belted tread or other materials, seals this inner core and provides the contact area with the road.
The tire will remain inflated with all the vehicle's weight resting on it, as the air pressure in the tire is more than atmospheric air pressure. The pressure of the air inside the tire gives resistance against forces that try 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 big of a difference a set of pneumatic tires makes.
Of course, there are some disadvantages to pneumatic tires. Like for example in high-performance situations or highly dangerous applications, these tires could suffer a puncture and this would result in a total failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds could result in a dangerous car crash. Military planners have to consider tires getting blown out by gunfire or explosion shrapnel. 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 kind of problems and thus, can be more suitable in some applications.
The pneumatic tire might have problems as well with the variation in air pressure and tire performance. The lower pressure inside a tire may increase the comfort level and the traction. This is due to the fact that tires flatten slightly and more tread is touching the road. The air pressure in the tire works to maintain the lateral stiffness of the tire as well as maintain the "up and down" stiffness. Therefore, reduced air pressure enables the sidewalls of the tires to flex. This leads to poor handling unfortunately. In an airless tire, the stiffness in those two dimensions is independent.
Air pressure factors into other issues also. When it comes to maintaining proper air pressure, customers are notoriously unreliable. Incorrect air pressure in tires can result in really unsafe situations. It is vital to bear in mind that pneumatic tires are prone to temperature changes too, which can be responsible for changing the internal tire pressure. It is essential to consider the type of settings you will be needing your machine to operate in so that you can frequently inspect the tires and keep the equipment as safe as possible.