World Electric Vehicle Journal Vol.

7 - ISSN 2032-6653 - ©2015 WEVA Page WEVJ7-0414

EVS28
KINTEX, Korea, May 3- 6, 2015

Laboratory Alignment Procedure for Improving

Reproducibility of Tyre Wet Grip Measurement
Kwangki Jeon1*, Yongho Yoo1, Jinwoo Lee1, Dohyun Jung1, Seolhee Lim2, Seongwoo Park2

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1
KOREA AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE, 303 Pungse-ro,Pungse-myeon, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan City,
Chungnam 330-912 , Republic of Korea, kkjeon@katech.re.kr
2
KOREA ENERGY MANAGEMENT CORPORATION, Yongin City, Gyeonggi, 448-994, Republic of Korea

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Abstract
Korea and EU governments are running the tyre labelling system from 2012. All tyres sold in Korea

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have to carry a label displaying information about two performance criteria such as rolling resistance and
wet grip. The rolling resistance of tyres determines their fuel efficiency grading and the wet grip of tyres
determines their braking safety grading. Measurement of rolling resistance and wet grip must be
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reproducible; tests on the same tyres in different laboratories must produce the same results in order to
ensure a fair comparison between tyres from different suppliers. In addition, a good reproducibility of
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testing results prevents market surveillance authorities from obtaining different results from those of the
suppliers when testing the same tyres. The laboratory alignment procedure of rolling resistance was
developed and published as an EU Commission Regulation No. 1235 in 2011. But the laboratory alignment
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procedure of wet grip has not developed yet. So there are a lot of differences of wet grip test results among
the test laboratories in the world. The proposed new procedure for the alignment of test laboratories with
regard to the measurement of tyre wet grip can improve the reproducibility of the wet grip testing results.
The proposed wet grip laboratory alignment procedure was verified through five laboratory alignment tests
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between KATECH and five test laboratories in the world.

Keywords: WG(Wet Grip), Tyre Labelling System, Laboratory Alignment Procedure, Reproducibility, BFC(Braking
Force Coefficient)

Korea government since December, 2012 [4].

1 Introduction
As an effort to reduce exhaust gas emission of
the transportation, the improvement of tyre
energy efficiency is required. Therefore, tyre
manufacturers are trying to develop eco-friendly
tyres [1, 2]. The tyre labelling system has been
enforced by European Parliament and EU
Council since November, 2012 [3] as well as by
European tyre label indicates the grade of three
performance parameters such as rolling resistance,
wet grip and outside rolling noise. All tyres sold in
Korea have to carry labels with information about
two performance criteria (rolling resistance, wet
grip). EU, Japan and Korea’s tyre label are shown
in Fig. 1. Fuel consumption of cars is related to the
rolling resistance of tyres. Wet grip is one of the
most important safety characteristics of tyres and it

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is displayed in red box of Fig. 1. Tyres with times, average PBFC is increased by 2.4% with
excellent wet grip will have shorter braking some tread wear as shown in Fig. 2 [6].
distance on wet road.
0.9 9
0.828 0.833 8
0.85 0.813 0.818
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Tread Depth (mm)

Average PBFC
0.8 6
5
0.75
4
0.7 3
2
0.65 Average PBFC 1
Tread depth (mm)
0.6 0
100 300 500 800

Braking Times
Figure 1: Tyre Labels of EU, Japan and Korea

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Figure 2: Effect of braking times of SRTT

Measurement of rolling resistance and wet grip

2.2 Surface Friction Factor Analysis
for these tyre labels must be reproducible; tests
There is some variation of friction even in the

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on the same tyres in different laboratories must
produce the same results in order to ensure a fair same wet grip test track. So each braking test run
comparison between tyres from different should be made at the same spot in one test cycle
suppliers. In addition, a good reproducibility of according to the wet grip test regulation. In order
to review the effect of surface friction factor on
testing results prevents market surveillance
authorities such as MOTIE and KEMCO of TI
Korea from obtaining different results from those
of the suppliers when testing the same tyres.
The laboratory alignment procedure of rolling
wet grip, the wet grip test is performed at several
positions with different frictional properties of the
same wet grip test track using four C1 test tyres as
shown in Table 1.
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resistance was developed and published as an EU
Commission Regulation No. 1235 in 2011 [5]. Table 1: Specification of Test Tyres
But the laboratory alignment procedure of wet
ID Usage Size
grip has not developed yet. So there are a lot of
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Test Tyre A Summer Tyre 225/40ZR18

differences of wet grip test results among the test Test Tyre B All Season Tyre P205/65R16
laboratories in the world. Test Tyre C All Season Tyre 205/65R15
In this study, new procedure for the alignment Test Tyre D Summer Tyre 245/45ZR18
of test laboratories with regard to the
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measurement of tyre wet grip is proposed in
order to improve the reproducibility of the wet
grip testing results. The proposed wet grip
laboratory alignment procedure was verified
through five laboratory alignment tests between
KATECH and five test laboratories in the world.
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Average PBFC values of five test tyres are
shown in Fig. 3. As friction of test surface
increases, both average PBFC of SRTT16” and test
tyres increase in proportion. But the change of wet
grip index is very little. In the case of test tyre B of
Fig. 3, wet gip index is increases by 2.5% [6].

2 Uncertainty Factors of Wet 1.1

Average Braking Force Coefficient
Grip Test 1
Average PBFC

0.9
2.1 SRTT Factor Analysis
0.8
SRTT16” is very important because wet grip
0.7
index is calculated by using the average peak
BFCs(braking force coefficients) of candidate 0.6
Position A Position B Position C
tyre and SRTT16”. But there are no guidelines
Test Tire A Test Tire B Test Tire C
about use period of SRTT16”s in the regulations. Test Tire D SRTT 1 SRTT 2

Four SRTT16”s which have same DOT

(production date) with several different braking Figure 3: Effect of Surface Friction on PBFC
times were selected and tested. When the use
period of SRTT16” rise from 100 to 800 braking

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2.3 Surface Temperature Factor 3 Laboratory Alignment Test

Analysis Procedure of Rolling Resistance
Wet grip performance of tyres is deeply related
to air and surface temperature of test track. In 3.1 Laboratory Alignment Test
order to review the effect of surface temperature Procedure of Rolling Resistance
factor on PBFC and wet grip, a lot of wet grip
test were performed at several temperature The rolling resistance of tyres determines their
conditions from 5 to 35 ℃ in the same position fuel efficiency grading. The laboratory alignment
procedure of rolling resistance was developed and
using a C2(light truck) SRTT and three C2 test
published as an EU Commission Regulation No.
tyres as shown in Table 2. When surface
1235 ANNEX IVa “Laboratory alignment
temperature rise from 5 to 35 ℃, average PBFCs
procedure for the measurement of rolling
of each tyre decrease with different slopes as resistance” in 2011 [5].

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shown in Fig. 4 because of each tread rubber’s A set of five or more alignment tyres shall be
characteristics. selected for the alignment procedure in compliance
with the criteria below. One set shall be selected
Table 2: Specification of C2 Tyres for C1 and C2 tyres together, and one set for

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ID Usage Size
C3(truck and bus) tyres. The set of alignment tyres
C2 SRTT All Season Tyre 225/75R16C shall be selected so as to cover the range of
C2 Tyre A Summer Tyre 195/70R15C different RRCs of C1 and C2 tyres together, or of
C2 Tyre B Summer Tyre 185R14C C3 tyres. RRC values of each alignment tyre of the
C2 Tyre C All Season Tyre
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185R14C set shall be spaced out and distributed uniformly as
shown in Table 3.
Measurement method of RR laboratory alignment
test is summarized in Table 4. The reference
laboratory shall measure RRC of each alignment
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tyre four times and retain the three last results for
further analysis.
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3.2 Laboratory Alignment Test Results

of Rolling Resistance
Figure 4: The Effect of Wet Surface Temp. on PBFC KATECH is the unique reference test body and
its RR test machine is the unique reference
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2.4 Tyre Conditioning Factor Analysis
For tyre break-in and conditioning, two braking
runs shall be performed under the test load,
pressure and speed as specified in wet grip test
regulation. From the conditioning test results of
three new C1(passenger car) tyres show that
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machine in Korea tyre labelling system. From
2011, a lot of laboratory alignment test for RR
have been carried out between KATECH and other
candidate test laboratories in the world as shown in
Fig. 6.

there is a transition area to be stabilized PBFC Table 3: Tyre Selection of RR Lab. Alignment Test
values for certain tyres as shown in Fig. 5.
Min. number
A few car makers have their own guidelines on Five (5)
of Tyres
tyre conditioning method using 80 braking runs Min. Range 3 kg/t (for C1/C2)
at 32 kph for their tyre traction correlation test. of RRC 2 kg/t (for C3)
Interval (1.0 ± 0.5) kg/t (for C1/C2)
of RRC (1.0 ± 0.5) kg/t (for C3)
Section ≤ 245 mm (for C1/C2)
Width ≤ 385 mm (for C3)
510 ~ 800 mm (for C1/C2)
Outer Diameter
771 ~ 1143 mm (for C3)

Figure 5: Effect of Tyre Conditioning on PBFC

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Table 4: Measurement method of RR Lab. Alignment alignment tyre at least ten braking runs and retain
Test the six braking runs’ results for further analysis.
No. of each In order to minimize the effect of uncertainty
Four (4) factors to wet grip index, a lot of conditions should
RRC Test
No. of Retaining
Last Three (3)
be controlled more tightly than those of current
Test Results wet grip test procedure. Air and surface
RR Test Temp. (25 ± 1) ℃ temperature should be within 10 and 30 ℃ for
80 km/h (for C1/C2/C3 K-) normal tyres. Test load should be (75 ± 1) % of
Test Velocity
60 km/h (for C3 -J)
maximum tyre capacity. Maximum braking times
80 % of Max. Load (for C1)
Test Load of SRTTs should be within 300. Braking zone of
85 % of Max. Load (for C2/C3) wet grip test track should be controlled within ±
Thermal Min. 3 hours (for C1) 2.0 m for longitudinal direction and ± 0.25 m for
Conditioning
lateral direction. Maximum deviation of time-to-

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of Test Tyres Min. 6 hours (for C2/C3)
30 min. (for C1) peak of test trailer should be within ± 0.10 s for C1
50 min. (for C2/C3 LI≤121) tyres and ± 0.14 s for C2 and C3 tyres. Tyre
Warm Up 150 min. conditioning should be carried out at least 40
Duration (for C3 LI>121, D<22.5) braking runs at 32 kph for C1 tyres and 25 kph for

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180 min. C2 and C3 tyres.
(for C3 LI>121, D≥22.5)

Table 5: Tyre Selection Requirements of WG Lab.

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of Tyres
Min. Range
of WGI
Alignment Test

Five (5)
0.3 (for C1/C2)
0.2 (for C3)
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Interval
(0.1 ± 0.05) (for C1/C2/C3)
of WGI
Section ≤ 245 mm (for C1/C2)
Width ≤ 385 mm (for C3)
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510 ~ 800 mm (for C1/C2)

Outer Diameter
Figure 6: Lab. Alignment Test Results of RR 771 ~ 1143 mm (for C3)
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4 New Laboratory Alignment 4.2 Laboratory Alignment Test Results

of WG with Korean Test
Test Procedure of Wet Grip Laboratories
4.1 New Laboratory Alignment Test To verify the proposed wet grip laboratory
alignment procedure of 4.1, laboratory alignment
Procedure of Wet Grip
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tests between KATECH and three test laboratories

Tyre selection requirements for the wet grip
laboratory alignment test are summarized in
Table 5. A set of five or more alignment tyres
shall be selected for the wet grip alignment
procedure same as RR in compliance with the
criteria below. One set shall be selected for C1
and C2 tyres together, and one set for C3 tyres.
The set of alignment tyres shall be selected so as
to cover the wide range of wet grip index. Wet
grip index of each alignment tyre of the set shall
be spaced out and distributed uniformly as shown
in Table 5.
Wet grip laboratory alignment test procedure
using a trailer method is summarized in Table 6.
The reference laboratory shall measure each
in Korea. From Fig. 7 to Fig. 9 show the wet grip
alignment test results only using C2 tyres between
KATECH and three test laboratories. Because of
using only C2 tyres, the set of alignment tyres
cover quite small (from 0.2 to 0.3) ranges of wet
grip index. Nevertheless, the alignment graphs of
Fig. 7 to Fig. 9 show good linearity of R2 values of
0.97, 0.96 and 0.95 respectively.
4.3 Laboratory Alignment Test Results
of WG with EU Test Laboratories
To verify the proposed wet grip laboratory
alignment procedure of 4.1, laboratory alignment

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tests between KATECH and two test laboratories

in EU. Fig. 10 and Fig. 11 show the wet grip
alignment test results using C1 and C2 tyres
between KATECH and two test laboratories.
Because of using C1 and C2 tyres, the set of
alignment tyres cover wider (from 0.4 to 0.5)
ranges of wet grip index in these test cases. The
alignment graphs of Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 show
good linearity of R2 values of 0.96 and 0.98
respectively. Figure 8: Lab. Alignment Test Results of Wet Grip
(KATECH to Korean Test Lab. B)
Table 6: Measurement method of WG Lab. Alignment

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Test (Trailer Method)
No. of Braking
Ten (10)
for each Tyre
No. of Retaining
Six (6)
Test Results

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(20 ± 5) ℃ (for C1/C2/C3)
Air/Surface (Reg. : 5~35 ℃)
Temp. (10 ± 5) ℃ (for C1 Snow Tyre)
(Reg. : 2~20 ℃) Figure 9: Lab. Alignment Test Results of Wet Grip

Test Velocity

Test Load
Thermal
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(65 ± 2) km/h (for C1)
(50 ± 2) km/h (for C2/C3)
(75 ± 1) % (for C1/C2/C3)
(Reg. : (75 ± 5) %)
Min. 2 hours (for C1/C2/C3)
(KATECH to Korean Test Lab. C)
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Conditioning
Max. Braking
300
Times of SRTT
± 2.0 m for Longitudinal,
Braking Zone
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± 0.25 m for Lateral

of Track
(Reg. : ± 2.5 m / ± 0.25 m)
Min. 10 braking at 65 kph Figure 10: Lab. Alignment Test Results of Wet Grip
Track (for C1) (KATECH to EU Test Lab. D)
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Conditioning Min. 10 braking at 50 kph

(for C2/C3)
0.2 ~ 0.5 s (for C1)
Time-to-Peak
0.2 ~ 1.0 s (for C2/C3)
Max. Deviation ± 0.10 s (for C1)
of Time-to-Peak ± 0.14 s (for C2/C3)
40 braking runs at 32 kph (for C1)
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(Reg. : 2 braking runs at 65 kph)

Tyre
40 braking runs at 25 kph
Conditioning
(for C2/C3)
(Reg. : 2 braking runs at 50 kph) Figure 11: Lab. Alignment Test Results of Wet Grip
(KATECH to EU Test Lab. E)

Figure 7: Lab. Alignment Test Results of Wet Grip
(KATECH to Korean Test Lab. A)
5 Conclusion
In this paper, a few uncertainty factors of wet grip
index such as SRTT, surface friction, surface
temperature, tyre conditioning were analyzed using
a lot of experiments. And new procedure for wet
grip alignment of test laboratories is proposed in
order to improve the reproducibility of the wet grip
testing results. In order to minimize the effect of
uncertainty factors of the wet grip laboratory
alignment test, a lot of test conditions such test tyre

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selection, air and track surface temperature, test YonghoYoo, Republic of Korea. He
load, maximum braking times of SRTTs, braking received the M.S. degree in
zone of test track, maximum deviation of time- mechatronics engineering at Sungkyun
to-peak, braking runs for tyre conditioning are kwan University, Suwon, Republic of
Korea, in 2015. His interests are
proposed to be controlled. The proposed wet grip
vehicle dynamics, ADAS and tyre wet
laboratory alignment procedure was verified grip for tyre labeling system.
through five laboratory alignment tests between
KATECH and five test laboratories in the world.
Jinwoo Lee, Republic of Korea. He
received the B.S. degree in mechanical
engineering from Korea Polytechnic
Acknowledgments University, Siheung, Republic of
This work was supported by the Ministry of Korea, in 2007. His research interests

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Trade, Industry and Energy of Korea. are fuel efficiency and tyre rolling
resistance for tyre labeling system.

DohyunJung, Republic of Korea. He

References received the Ph.D. degree in

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[1] J. Oh, H. Lee, S. Kim, “Review of Wet Grip mechanical engineering from Korea
Test Method for Eco-friendly Tyre Advanced Institute of Science and
Labelling”, KSAE, 2011. Technology, Daejeon, Republic of
Korea, in 2001. His research interests
[2] I. Kuwayama, H. Matsumoto, H. Heguri,

[3] 2011 COMMISSION REGULATION (EU)

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“Development of Next Generation Ecology
Tire Technology”, JSAE, 2013.

No.228/2011 amending Regulation (EC) No

are vehicle control for chassis systems
and ADAS systems.

Seolhee Lim, Republic of Korea. She

received the B.S. degree in mechanical
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1222/2009 of the European Parliament and engineering from Incheon University,
of the Council with regard to the wet grip Incheon, Republic of Korea, in 2013.
testing method for c1 tyres. Her research interest is tyre labelling
system.
[4] The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy
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Notification Number 2011-237, 2014-227.

[5] 2011 COMMISSION REGULATION (EU)
No.1235/2011 amending Regulation (EC) Seongwoo Park, Republic of Korea.
No 1222/2009 of the European Parliament
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He received the B.S. degree in public

and of the Council with regard to the wet administration from Hanyang
grip grading of tyres, the measurement of University, Seoul, Republic of Korea,
rolling resistance and the verification in 1996. His research interests are tire
procedure. energy efficiency, vehicle fuel
[6] Y. Yoo, K. Jeon, D. Jung, S. Hwang, economy and EV policies.
“Uncertainty Factor Analysis of Tyre Wet
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Grip Index for EU and Korea Tyre

Labelling System”, EVS27, 2013.

Authors
Kwangki Jeon, Republic of Korea. He
received the Ph.D. degree in
mechanical engineering from Seoul
National University, Seoul, Republic
of Korea, in 2013. His research
interests are vehicle dynamics, tyre
wet grip, ADAS and autonomous
vehicle control.

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