Raffaele Stefanelli

Raffaele Stefanelli graduated in mechanical engineering from the University of Naples Federico II and is currently a PhD student in industrial engineering under the supervision of Prof. Flavio Farroni and Prof. Francesco Timpone, in collaboration with megaRIDE. His research focuses on vehicle dynamics and performance optimization for motorsport applications. He collaborates with racing teams and tire manufacturers, analyzing the effects of road roughness, viscoelasticity and telemetry data on tire grip and wear. Additionally, he develops models for tire-road interactions to predict maximum performance under varying conditions, which are crucial for real-time vehicle simulators.

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Presentation

Advanced tire-road friction model integrating local contact mechanics analysis

This research presents an advanced friction model for tire-road contact using a Greenwood-Williamson approach to evaluate local contact mechanics. The model integrates tire compound viscoelastic characterization with detailed road roughness analysis across both macro and micro scales. It computes the ratio of real-to-nominal contact area under different conditions, providing insights into how surface texture, tire viscoelasticity and operating conditions affect the maximum achievable friction. The model was validated using both indoor and outdoor data across different scenarios, demonstrating its potential for optimizing tire selection and vehicle setup to maximize grip in motorsport environments.