SAE book looks into tire failure causes

A new SAE International book investigates the causes of tire failure to help prevent tire-related accidents on the road.

Authored by Thomas R. Giapponi, "Tire Forensic Investigation: Analyzing Tire Failure" covers the ways that a tire can fail and how to identify those failures in passenger car and light truck tires, according to SAE.

Topics covered include:
• Belt separation
• Tire condition
• Balance weight marks
• Tire location on vehicle
• Failure theories
• Tire investigation techniques

The book is written for tire forensic experts, but SAE reports that it would interest other professionals involved in accident analysis, including police officers, state highway patrollers, lawyers in tire litigation and insurance agents. Tire engineers also benefit from understanding tire failure to help improve tire designs.

The list price of this 238-page book is $79.95; SAE International members can purchase it for $63.96. For more information, visit www.sae.org/technical/books/R-387.

Giapponi is President of TRGtech Tire Consulting LLC. With more than 30 years of experience in the tire industry, he previously worked for Armstrong Rubber Company and Pirelli Tire North America. At these companies, Giapponi held leadership positions in research and development, factory quality, tire testing and tire engineering. He is a member of SAE International and the Tire Society and a past president of the Tire and Rim Association.