The pneumatic tire or air-filled tire is composed of a core filled with airtight sealed pressurized air. Usually, a reinforced steel belted tread or other materials, provides the contact part with the road and seals this inner core.
The tire would remain inflated with all the vehicle's weight resting on it, as the pressure of the air within the tire is greater than atmospheric air pressure. The air pressure in the tire gives resistance against forces that 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 experienced taking a ride in an old-fashioned carriage which had wooden wheels, you understand exactly how big of a difference a set of pneumatic tires makes.
Of course, there are some drawbacks to pneumatic tires. Like for instance in high-performance situations or highly dangerous applications, these tires can suffer a puncture and this will result in a total failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds can lead to a serious car accident. Military planners have to take into consideration tires getting blown out by explosion shrapnel or gunfire. The worst nightmare of a vehicle crew 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 thus, may be more suitable in certain applications.
Pneumatic tires have one more issue involving variations in tire performance and air pressure. Lower tire pressure could create increased comfort and improved traction. This is due to the fact that tires flatten slightly and more tread is touching 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. Hence, reduced air pressure enables the tires' sidewalls to flex. This leads to poor handling unfortunately. Within an airless tire, the stiffness in those two dimensions is independent.
Air pressure factors into other problems too. With regards to to maintaining proper air pressure, consumers are notoriously undependable. Improper air pressure inside tires can lead to very unsafe situations. It is important to keep in mind that pneumatic tires are also prone to temperature changes, which can be responsible for changing the internal pressure of the tire. It is vital to consider the kind of environments you will be needing your equipment to operate in so that you can frequently inspect the tires and keep the equipment as safe as possible.