Japan recognises Yokohama’s ‘super-computer’ tire research

Tokyo – A joint project between Yokohama Rubber Co. (YRC) and Japan’s Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) on silent tires has been recognised for its research on “highly accurate fluid analysis and data mining,” the Japanese tire-maker has announced.

HPCI is an initiative started by Japan’s ministry of education, culture, sports, science and technology (MEXT) to create a platform that connects Japan’s next-generation supercomputer, called the K Computer, with supercomputers of universities and research institutions throughout Japan via a high-speed network.

Japan’s research organisation for information science and technology (RIST) operates the HPCI system and each year presents its ‘excellent achievement’ awards to the top applied research projects using the HPCI system.

The Yokohama–ISAS project first used the aeroacoustic simulation technology in 2014 to demonstrate the impact of changes in a tire’s surface, such as the depth and width of the groove, on the acoustic waves (noise) generated by a rolling tire.

The ‘silent tires’ project investigates the possibility of designing tire tread patterns that will produce lower acoustic waves, which could lead to the development of ‘low-noise tires’.

The award, said YRC, recognises the suitability of applying the HPCI system’s big data calculation capabilities to conduct a systematic and reliable analysis that will contribute to the development of new tire designs.