An air-filled or pneumatic tire is composed on an inner core that is filled with pressurized air and sealed airtight. Typically, a reinforced steel belted tread or other materials, provides the contact area with the road and seals this inner core.
The tire will remain inflated with all the vehicle's weight resting on it, as the air pressure within the tire is more than atmospheric air pressure. The pressure of the air in the tire provides resistance against forces which try 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 experienced taking a ride in an old-fashioned carriage which had wooden wheels, you understand precisely how huge of a difference a set of pneumatic tires makes.
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 would result in a complete failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds can result in a dangerous car accident. Military planners have to consider tires getting blown out by explosion shrapnel or firing of guns. A vehicle crew's worst nightmare is becoming trapped in a fire zone because of all of their tires becoming flat. Airless tires evidently don't suffer from these issues and hence, may be more suitable in some applications.
Pneumatic tires have another problem involving variations in air pressure and tire performance. Lower tire pressure can create improved traction and increased comfort. This is because of the fact that tires flatten slightly and more tread is touching the road. The air pressure in the tire works to maintain the lateral stiffness of the tire as well as maintain the "up and down" stiffness. Therefore, less air pressure allows the sidewalls of the tires to flex. This leads to poor handling unfortunately. Within an airless tire, the stiffness in those two dimensions is independent.
Air pressure factors into other issues also. When it comes to maintaining correct air pressure, customers are notoriously unreliable. Improper air pressure within tires can lead to very dangerous situations. It is vital to bear in mind that pneumatic tires are also prone to temperature changes, that can be responsible for changing the internal tire pressure. It is really vital to consider the kind of environments you would be needing your equipment to function in so that you can check the tires regularly and keep the machinery as safe as possible.