The pneumatic tire or air-filled tire consists of a core filled with airtight sealed pressurized air. Usually, a reinforced steel belted tread or other materials, seals this inner core and provides the contact area with the road.
As the pressure of the air within the tire is more than atmospheric air pressure, the tire remains inflated even with the weight of the vehicle resting on it. The air pressure in the tire provides resistance against forces which 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 precisely how big of a difference a set of pneumatic tires makes.
Surely, there are several disadvantages to pneumatic tires. For example in highly dangerous applications or high-performance situations, these tires can suffer a puncture and this will lead to a complete failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds could result in a dangerous car crash. Military planners should take into consideration tires getting blown out by explosion shrapnel or gunfire. The worst nightmare of a vehicle crew is becoming trapped in a fire zone because of all of their tires becoming flat. Airless tires evidently don't suffer from these kind of issues and hence, may be more suitable in some applications.
Pneumatic tires have another 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 slightly and more tread is placed in contact with the road. The pressure of the air in the tire works to maintain the "up and down" stiffness as well as maintain the lateral stiffness of the tire. Therefore, less air pressure allows the sidewalls of the tires to flex. Unfortunately, this results in poor handling. In an airless tire, the stiffness in those two dimensions is independent.
There are other problems 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 essential to keep in mind that pneumatic tires are susceptible to temperature changes also, that can be responsible for changing the internal pressure of the tire. It is very important to consider the kind of environments you would be needing your machine to function in so that you can inspect the tires on a regular basis and keep the machine as safe as possible.