Ground tyre rubber makes asphalted road more durable and cheaper

[Alive]

If they could figure out some way to reuse them, maybe it would be cheaper to buy them. As it is now, they usually dump them on you after your get a tire change. Once they find a way to reuse the material easily, it'll change the world. So much waste from old tires. Some motorcycle shop dumped a bunch of them in a vacant area nearby where I live. Seen this plenty of times around Thailand.

[williamgeorgeallen]

If they could figure out some way to reuse them, maybe it would be cheaper to buy them. As it is now, they usually dump them on you after your get a tire change. Once they find a way to reuse the material easily, it'll change the world. So much waste from old tires. Some motorcycle shop dumped a bunch of them in a vacant area nearby where I live. Seen this plenty of times around Thailand.

there has been a form of airless tire around for decades. it is a honey combed plastic hub with a strip of tread around it. the strip of rubber is replaced when the tread is worn off. for some reason big manufacturers have been very slow taking up the technology. many advantages to having airless reusable tires. finally one manufacturer (think it is bridgestone) is starting up a factory for these tires but they will only be for industrial use. new airless tires should be perfect for electric cars as they are light and have low rolling resistance.

[slapout]

We called asphalt, blacktop, as mentioned it is slick as ice when the rain first starts, until the oil gets washed off. It also can not stand up to heavy loads

of trucks, thus requires continual repair. It was only used on secondary roads with posted weight limits and in the smaller town side streets, private drives and alleys. About the only good thing about it, it covered the dirt and you did not have to fight a muddy road and get stuck. But it was put down much thicker in thin layers, while hot, rolled with a heavy machine to pack it and this process repeated a few times.

What I have observed here its put down so thin that repair starts within a month or even less. The roller they use are not filled with water for weight in packing the base nor the asphalt. Someone forgot to read instructions or maybe they could not read the manuel as it was not their language.

[Lee4Life]

Let's just see what happens when good ol' SomChai lights a big fire on the side of the highway then! . That's what happened in our neck of the woods years ago when they tried the rubber road idea. It was pretty much impossible to put the fire out.

[worgeordie]

I hope when you have to do an emergency stop,you are not bouncing about

all over the road. , they also say it last longer than asphalt,how do they know

that ,if according to them they have just invented the stuff.

regards Worgeordie

[DrTuner]

If they could figure out some way to reuse them, maybe it would be cheaper to buy them. As it is now, they usually dump them on you after your get a tire change. Once they find a way to reuse the material easily, it'll change the world. So much waste from old tires. Some motorcycle shop dumped a bunch of them in a vacant area nearby where I live. Seen this plenty of times around Thailand.

there has been a form of airless tire around for decades. it is a honey combed plastic hub with a strip of tread around it. the strip of rubber is replaced when the tread is worn off. for some reason big manufacturers have been very slow taking up the technology. many advantages to having airless reusable tires. finally one manufacturer (think it is bridgestone) is starting up a factory for these tires but they will only be for industrial use. new airless tires should be perfect for electric cars as they are light and have low rolling resistance.

I tried driving with "run flat" tires before, which have the same type of honeycomb structure. The steering response to is horrible, like driving a vehicle with wheels made out of chewing gum, never mind setting up for high speed cornering. Unless the tech has advanced in the last ten years or so, it's far inferior.

[williamgeorgeallen]

If they could figure out some way to reuse them, maybe it would be cheaper to buy them. As it is now, they usually dump them on you after your get a tire change. Once they find a way to reuse the material easily, it'll change the world. So much waste from old tires. Some motorcycle shop dumped a bunch of them in a vacant area nearby where I live. Seen this plenty of times around Thailand.

there has been a form of airless tire around for decades. it is a honey combed plastic hub with a strip of tread around it. the strip of rubber is replaced when the tread is worn off. for some reason big manufacturers have been very slow taking up the technology. many advantages to having airless reusable tires. finally one manufacturer (think it is bridgestone) is starting up a factory for these tires but they will only be for industrial use. new airless tires should be perfect for electric cars as they are light and have low rolling resistance.

I tried driving with "run flat" tires before, which have the same type of honeycomb structure. The steering response to is horrible, like driving a vehicle with wheels made out of chewing gum, never mind setting up for high speed cornering. Unless the tech has advanced in the last ten years or so, it's far inferior.

going of on a bit of a tangent but the tires you had relied on air. they had a honey comb back up that was there to stop the rims from cutting into the rubber when deflated. a stop gap measure to get you somewhere to reinflate the tire. the new type relies full time on the honey comb structure. there is basically zero side wall movement so the steering should be sharper with them. i am still wondering why they have not gone into production full scale. think the army will be using them soon on their humvees. here is the article about them finally going into production. http://www.bridgestonetire.com/tread-and-trend/tire-talk/airless-concept-tires

[Mook23]

who are they kidding... been done in the west for ages

Kidding their own serfs. As usual.

Ps. Wasn't rubber invented in Thailand

[Longtooth]

I really like the idea of research into better pothole repair. A needed technology. I've thought about it myself for some time. Good on 'em.

[canopy]

new airless tires should be perfect for electric cars as they are light and have low rolling resistance

The rolling resistance is no lower than bridgestone ecopia tires sold in thailand. I also fail to see how this is more beneficial to electric vs conventional.

i am still wondering why they have not gone into production full scale

The answer to 99% of the questions in the world is cost. That's why this tire can only make sense in certain special cases.

[williamgeorgeallen]

new airless tires should be perfect for electric cars as they are light and have low rolling resistance

The rolling resistance is no lower than bridgestone ecopia tires sold in thailand. I also fail to see how this is more beneficial to electric vs conventional.

i am still wondering why they have not gone into production full scale

The answer to 99% of the questions in the world is cost. That's why this tire can only make sense in certain special cases.

imagine never getting a flat tire again, and no need to carry a spare. i would pay double for them. 2 flat tires so far this year from screws on the road.

injection mold a hub and glue on a strip of rubber. must be cheaper than making a steel belted radial, new technology but of course the price will come down with time.

i heard bridgestone bought the patent and refused to build them because they would save people so much money it would hurt profits.

alot of good reasons for these new tyres here http://www.bridgestonetire.com/tread-and-trend/tire-talk/airless-concept-tires

[selftaopath]

Did it back home 20 years ago. Had a summer heatwave and something leached out. First rainstorm it was like a skating rink. They replaced it the next week.

One would hope they have tested this mixture under ALL weather conditions.

Anyway, this idea has been around decades. I don't see the researchers claiming this as a 'new innovation'; however, I wonder why they seem to have reinvented the wheel. It's the same with education - there will be a new revolution next year but the ideas have been around years already. It's something about Thais not being about to accept any research not done here - they can't acknowledge that others know better (or at least have done these things before). Thailand isn't all that special - ideas for research should come from overseas and be adapted to the local conditions. There's no point in wasting money on research that is already common knowledge.

As you aptly described it's yet another example of why Thailand remains backward. IMO: There are few expectations that other nations believe Thailand will ever become a developed nation.

[Emster23]

I can hardly wait for them to start using tires in ground pork, etc. Put a bounce in your step.