A pneumatic or air-filled tire consists of an inner core that is sealed airtight and filled with pressurized air. Typically, a tread made with reinforced steel belting or other materials, provides the contact part with the road and seals this inner core.
The tire will remain inflated with all the weight of the vehicle resting on it, because the air pressure inside the tire is greater than atmospheric air pressure. The pressure of the air within the tire gives resistance against forces that attempt 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 know exactly how big of a difference a set of pneumatic tires can make.
Surely, there are several disadvantages to pneumatic tires. Like for instance in highly dangerous applications or high-performance situations, these tires could suffer a puncture and this will result in a complete failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds could result in a dangerous car accident. Military planners should take into account tires getting blown out by explosion shrapnel or shooting of guns. The worst nightmare of a vehicle crew is becoming trapped within a fire zone because of all of their tires becoming flat. Airless tires evidently don't suffer from these kind of problems and therefore, can be more suitable in some applications.
Pneumatic tires have one more issue involving variations in air pressure and tire performance. Lower tire pressure could create increased comfort and improved traction. This is because of the fact that tires flatten a little and more tread is placed in contact with the road. The air pressure inside of the tire works to maintain the lateral stiffness of the tire as well as maintain the "up and down" stiffness. Thus, less air pressure allows the sidewalls of the tires to flex. This results in poor handling unfortunately. Within an airless tire, the stiffness in those two dimensions is independent.
There are other issues with air pressure. Customers are notoriously unreliable when it comes to maintaining proper air pressure. Tires that have improper air pressure could lead to dangerous situations. It is very vital to note that pneumatic tires are also susceptible to temperature changes, that could be responsible for changing the internal tire pressure. It is vital to consider the kind of settings you would be needing your equipment to operate in so that you could check the tires on a regular basis and keep the machine as safe as possible.