A pneumatic or air-filled tire is composed on an inner core which is filled with pressurized air and sealed airtight. Typically, a tread made with reinforced steel belting or other materials, seals this inner core and provides the contact area with the road.
The tire will remain inflated with all the vehicle's weight resting on it, as the pressure of the air in the tire is more than atmospheric air pressure. The air pressure within 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 understand exactly how huge of a difference a set of pneumatic tires makes.
Of course, there are some disadvantages to pneumatic tires. For example in highly dangerous applications or high-performance situations, these tires could suffer a puncture and this will lead to a total failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds can lead to a dangerous car accident. Military planners should consider tires getting blown out by explosion shrapnel or gunfire. 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 kind of issues and therefore, may be more suitable in some applications.
The pneumatic tire may have problems as well with the variation in air pressure and tire performance. The lower pressure in a tire could increase the traction and the comfort level. This is due to the fact that tires flatten a little 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. 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 also. With regards to to maintaining correct air pressure, customers are notoriously unreliable. Incorrect air pressure in tires could lead to very dangerous situations. It is very vital to note that pneumatic tires are prone to temperature changes too, which could be responsible for changing the internal tire pressure. It is essential to consider the type of environments you would be requiring your machine to function in so that you can inspect the tires on a regular basis and keep the equipment as safe as possible.