An air-filled or pneumatic tire consists of an inner core that is sealed airtight and filled with pressurized air. Normally, a reinforced steel belted tread or other materials, provides the contact part with the road and seals this inner core.
Because the air pressure in the tire is greater than atmospheric air pressure, the tire remains inflated even with a vehicles' weight resting on it. The pressure of the air inside the tire gives resistance against forces which try to deform the tire. This gives the tire a slight degree of a cushioning effect when the tire hits bumps in the road. If you have ever taken a ride in an old-fashioned carriage that had wooden wheels, you know precisely how huge of a difference a set of pneumatic tires could make.
Pneumatic tires also come with drawbacks. Highly dangerous applications or high-performance situations for instance, these tires can suffer a puncture and this will lead to a complete failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds can lead to a serious car accident. 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 type of problems and hence, in some applications, might be more suitable.
Pneumatic tires have one more problem involving variations in air pressure and tire performance. Lower tire pressure can create improved traction and increased comfort. This is because of the fact that tires flatten slightly and more tread is placed in contact with the road. The air pressure in the tire works to maintain the lateral stiffness of the tire as well as maintain the "up and down" stiffness. Thus, less air pressure allows the sidewalls of the tires to flex. Unfortunately, this leads to poor handling. In an airless tire, the stiffness in those two dimensions is independent.
There are other problems with air pressure. Consumers are notoriously undependable when it comes to maintaining proper air pressure. Tires which have improper air pressure could lead to dangerous situations. It is essential to bear in mind that pneumatic tires are also prone to temperature changes, that can be responsible for changing the internal pressure of the tire. It is essential to take into account the type of environments you would be requiring your equipment to operate in so that you could check the tires on a regular basis and keep the machinery as safe as possible.