Overview
ISO 22638:2024 defines a standardized road simulator laboratory method for the generation and collection of tyre and road wear particles (TRWP). The standard specifies equipment, test pavements and tyres, vacuum collection, monitoring and reporting so laboratories can produce TRWP that are representative of real driving conditions while excluding road-surface contaminants (e.g., brake dust, exhaust). Note: this method may not be applicable to studded tyres.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Generation system: Use a programmable road-simulator (interior drum or rotating tabletop) capable of realistic speed, load and steering control. Minimum capability: maximum test speed ≥ 150 km/h; adjustable camber −2° to 8°, slip 0–100%, steering −15° to 15°, radial force −5 kN to 5 kN, normal force 0 kN to 10 kN.
- Test pavement: Exchangeable, unweathered pavement cassettes that mimic road surfaces (asphalt-based pavement suggested, see ISO 10844).
- Test tyres: Representative market tyres (passenger or truck, seasonal/performance variants) maintained at manufacturer inflation and load.
- Collection system: Stainless-steel capture hood and aspiration/vacuum line connected to a hard container. Collected TRWP are sieved at 150 µm, weighed on a precision balance, and stored in pre-weighed amber glass jars.
- Monitoring: Continuous measurement and recording of tyre speed, system/pavement/tyre temperature, tyre forces/torques and enclosure/duct ventilation rate.
- Procedures: Simulated driving cycles representative of city/highway conditions (example cycle allocation provided in the standard). Attention to tyre–pavement interface to avoid smearing; optional use of stone powder to prevent depletion.
- Test report: Mandatory items include identification, reference to ISO 22638:2024, generation system characteristics, pavement and tyre details, simulation date/time/duration/parameters (velocity, temperature, tyre forces, ventilation), collection equipment, monitoring records, mass collected and anomalies.
Applications and who uses it
- Environmental researchers studying TRWP composition, transport and ecological impacts.
- Tyre and rubber manufacturers evaluating wear properties and material performance.
- Independent testing laboratories and road-simulator facilities generating standardized TRWP for chemical and physical analyses.
- Regulatory agencies and product certification bodies needing reproducible TRWP data for policy or compliance.
- Pavement and materials engineers comparing pavement–tyre interactions and mitigation strategies.
Benefits: reproducible, contaminant-free TRWP generation; higher sample mass than on-road methods; improved comparability of particle morphology and size distribution for environmental and materials research.
Related standards
- ISO 10844 (pavement specification referenced for asphalt-based test pavement)
- ISO/TS 22638:2018 (previous technical specification replaced by this first ISO edition)
Keywords: ISO 22638, TRWP, tyre and road wear particles, road simulator laboratory method, tyre wear testing, particle collection, pavement cassettes, vacuum collection system, environmental monitoring.