The air-filled or pneumatic tire is composed of a core filled with airtight sealed pressurized air. Typically, a tread made with reinforced steel belting or other materials, seals this inner core and provides the contact area with the road.
Since the air pressure in the tire is greater than atmospheric air pressure, the tire remains inflated even with the weight of the vehicle resting on it. The pressure of the air in the tire provides resistance against forces which attempt to deform the tire. This gives the tire a slight degree of a cushioning effect as the tire hits bumps in the road. If you have ever taken a ride in an old-fashioned carriage which had wooden wheels, you know how big of a difference a set of pneumatic tires makes.
Pneumatic tires also come with drawbacks. High-performance situations or highly dangerous applications for example, these tires could suffer a puncture and this will lead to a total failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds could lead to a dangerous car crash. Military planners should take into account tires getting blown out by firing of guns or explosion shrapnel. A vehicle crew's worst nightmare is becoming trapped within a fire zone because of all of their tires becoming flat. Airless tires obviously don't suffer from these problems and hence, in some applications, can be more suitable.
The pneumatic tire might have problems as well with the variation in tire performance and air pressure. The lower pressure in a tire may increase the traction and the comfort level. This is due to the fact that tires flatten slightly 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. Thus, reduced air pressure allows the tires' sidewalls to flex. This results in poor handling unfortunately. In an airless tire, the stiffness in those two dimensions is independent.
There are other issues with air pressure. Consumers are notoriously unreliable when it comes to maintaining proper air pressure. Tires which have improper air pressure can result in unsafe situations. It is essential to note that pneumatic tires are also susceptible to temperature changes, which can be responsible for changing the internal pressure of the tire. It is essential to consider the type of settings you will be requiring your machinery to function in so that you could inspect the tires on a regular basis and keep the equipment as safe as possible.