A pneumatic or air-filled tire consists of an inner core which is filled with pressurized air and sealed airtight. Typically, a tread made with reinforced steel belting or other kind of materials, seals this inner core and provides the contact area with the road.
As the air pressure inside the tire is more 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 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 exactly how huge of a difference a set of pneumatic tires could make.
Of course, there are some drawbacks to pneumatic tires. Like for instance in high-performance situations or highly dangerous applications, these tires could suffer a puncture and this would lead to a complete failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds could lead to a serious car accident. Military planners should take into consideration tires getting blown out by explosion shrapnel or firing of guns. A vehicle crew's worst nightmare is becoming trapped in a fire zone because of all of their tires becoming flat. Airless tires evidently don't suffer from these problems and hence, in some applications, could be more suitable.
Pneumatic tires have another 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 a little and more tread is placed in contact with 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, less air pressure allows 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.
There are other problems with air pressure. Customers are notoriously unreliable when it comes to maintaining correct air pressure. Tires that have improper air pressure can lead to dangerous situations. It is very vital to bear in mind that pneumatic tires are also susceptible to temperature changes, that could be responsible for changing the internal tire pressure. It is essential to take into account the type of settings you will be needing your machine to operate in so that you can regularly inspect the tires and keep the machinery as safe as possible.