A pneumatic or air-filled tire is composed on an inner core that is sealed airtight and filled with pressurized air. Usually, a reinforced steel belted tread or other type of materials, provides the contact area with the road and seals this inner core.
As the pressure of the air within the tire is more than atmospheric air pressure, the tire remains inflated even with a vehicles' weight resting on it. The air pressure within the tire gives resistance against forces that 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 that had wooden wheels, you know how big of a difference a set of pneumatic tires can make.
Of course, there are several drawbacks to pneumatic tires. For example in highly dangerous applications or high-performance situations, these tires can suffer a puncture and this would lead to a complete failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds could result in a dangerous car crash. Military planners should consider tires getting blown out by firing of guns or explosion shrapnel. A vehicle crew's worst nightmare is becoming trapped within a fire zone due to all of their tires becoming flat. Airless tires evidently don't suffer from these issues and thus, in some applications, might be more suitable.
Pneumatic tires have one more problem 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 a little and more tread is touching 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 enables the sidewalls of the tires to flex. This leads to poor handling unfortunately. In an airless tire, the stiffness in those two dimensions is independent.
Air pressure factors into other problems too. When it comes to maintaining proper air pressure, consumers are notoriously unreliable. Improper air pressure within tires can result in very dangerous situations. It is very vital to note that pneumatic tires are susceptible to temperature changes also, which can be responsible for changing the internal tire pressure. It is important to consider the type of settings you would be needing your machinery to operate in so that you could inspect the tires on a regular basis and keep the machine as safe as possible.