The pneumatic tire or air-filled tire consists of a core filled with airtight sealed pressurized air. Normally, a reinforced steel belted tread or other materials, seals this inner core and provides the contact area with the road.
The tire will remain inflated with all the weight of the vehicle resting on it, as the air pressure in the tire is more than atmospheric air pressure. The air pressure inside the tire gives 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 that had wooden wheels, you know how huge of a difference a set of pneumatic tires could make.
Pneumatic tires also come with disadvantages. Highly dangerous applications or high-performance situations for example, these tires could suffer a puncture and this will result in a total failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds can lead to a dangerous car accident. Military planners should consider tires getting blown out by explosion shrapnel or firing of guns. The worst nightmare of a vehicle crew is becoming trapped within a fire zone due to all of their tires becoming flat. Airless tires evidently don't suffer from these kind of problems and thus, in some applications, may be more suitable.
The pneumatic tire might have problems as well with the variation in air pressure and tire performance. The lower pressure inside a tire may increase the traction and the comfort level. This is because of the fact that tires flatten a little and more tread is touching the road. The pressure of the air inside of the tire works to maintain the "up and down" stiffness as well as maintain the lateral stiffness of the tire. Therefore, less air pressure enables the tires' sidewalls to flex. Unfortunately, this results in poor handling. In an airless tire, the stiffness in those two dimensions is independent.
Air pressure factors into other issues too. When it comes to maintaining proper air pressure, consumers are notoriously unreliable. Wrong air pressure within tires can result in very dangerous situations. It is very important to note that pneumatic tires are also prone to temperature changes, which can be responsible for changing the internal tire pressure. It is important to consider the type of settings you will be needing your machine to function in so that you can regularly check the tires and keep the machinery as safe as possible.