Part 1: Core Functions & Basic Definitions

Tread patterns achieve five core functions through the combination of blocks, grooves, sipes and slits:

1. Enhance traction, braking and driving force

2. Improve water drainage and heat dissipation

3. Reduce road noise

4. Ensure handling stability

5. Adapt to different road conditions

The Four Building Blocks

Replacement Threshold

Tires must be replaced before residual tread depth drops to 1.6mm (the legal wear marker). Below this limit, drainage and braking performance deteriorate sharply.

Part 2: Truck & Bus Tire (TBR) Patterns

TBR patterns are segmented by vehicle use case across five core scenarios: medium/short-haul heavy trucks, long-haul highway, mining/construction sites, light trucks, and bus/coach transport.

2.1 Medium & Short-Haul Heavy Truck Patterns

Profile: Short distance, high load, mixed road conditions. Commonly uses 12.00R20 tube-type tires. Demands high load capacity, heat resistance and tear resistance.

Old Three-Groove Pattern (Classic All-Rounder)

• Three zigzag longitudinal grooves

• Notched shoulder design

• Works on asphalt, gravel and mixed surfaces

• Produced by virtually all manufacturers

• Key advantage: extreme versatility — no need to switch tires between scenarios

New Three-Groove Pattern

Two sub-variants:

• Twisted Shape ("麻花形") — 2mm deeper grooves than the old three-groove, shoulder sipes added, rubber stone-ejectors in groove base to prevent stone trapping. Improved wear resistance and reduced irregular wear.

• Peanut Surface ("花生面") — three longitudinal wave grooves + 4mm transverse "peanut" sipes. Enhanced load capacity, but heavier and more expensive.

Transverse Center Block Pattern

Includes colloquially-named variants: Pig-Nose, Butterfly, Scorpion patterns.

• Reinforced center blocks with heat-dissipation slots

• Open shoulder design

• Excellent traction on soft ground

• Extra-thick tread for extreme load capacity

• Drawbacks: low land-sea ratio (small contact area), average wear resistance, groove base prone to puncture

Directional Herringbone Pattern (Steering)

Two variants:

• Large Herringbone — suited for drive axles on hard-rock mines

• Small Herringbone — smaller blocks, improved heat dissipation, suited for medium/short-haul loaded drive wheels

Installation: directional — must follow arrow marking. Strong drive performance, slip-resistant. Drawback: installation complexity, poor interchangeability.

Block Pattern

Variants: Football Block, Diagonal Four-Block, Crescent patterns.

• Large blocks with reinforcing ribs

• Excellent tear resistance and load capacity

• Suited for dump trucks and semi-trailers on all axles

• The Diagonal Four-Block variant offers continuous ground contact and resists stone trapping, but may develop shoulder bulges at high speed

2.2 Long-Haul Highway Patterns

Profile: Standard load, good roads, maximum mileage. Commonly uses 12R22.5 tubeless tires. Prioritizes wear resistance, balance and heat dissipation.

Longitudinal Patterns (Rib)

Four-Groove Pattern — the mainstream long-haul choice:

Pure highway, standard load. Excellent dynamic balance, low noise.

Three-Groove Pattern — for "highway + light mixed road" (coal, cement haulage):

• Long-Haul Hero ("长途好汉") — center block with diagonal fine sipes, good heat dissipation

• Bamboo-Joint ("竹节形") — continuous shoulder, strong grip

• Transverse Fine Sipes — wide contact surface, resists irregular wear

Good balance, but narrow shoulder is prone to irregular wear.

Mixed Pattern (Drive-Trailer Dual-Use)

• Early versions: block drive patterns (strong grip)

• Later versions: blocks merged into continuous "smooth" pattern — switchable from drive axle to trailer axle

• Variants: Small Mahjong, Fish Scale, Arrow Mahjong

• Balanced grip and wear resistance

Block Pattern (Mahjong Block — Drive Axle)

Three variants:

• Central-Link Mahjong — connected center blocks prevent block loss

• Independent Mahjong — staggered arrangement, good heat dissipation

• Mixed Mahjong — larger outer blocks, smaller inner blocks to reduce irregular wear

Deep tread, strong wear resistance, large contact area. Drawbacks: higher fuel consumption, prone to stone trapping.

2.3 Mining & Construction Dump Truck Patterns

Profile: Short haul, extreme load, harsh surfaces (gravel, rough roads). Uses 12.00R20 tube-type tires. Core design principle: large transverse blocks.

Transverse Patterns (By Segment Count)

One-Segment ("S-Block")

• Large wave-shaped blocks

• Longitudinal reinforcing ribs on center and shoulder

• Anti-puncture, suited for hard-rock mines

• Powerful drive, but poor heat dissipation; shoulder voids at speed

Two-Segment

• Wave type — center groove relieves turning torque, suited for soft mines

• Straight-Board type — transverse straight boards or diagonal interlocked teeth; strong grip and climbing; better cooling than one-segment, but crown slotting reduces impact resistance

Three-Segment

• Blocks split into three, improved shoulder cooling and load distribution

• Strong transverse traction

• Lower land-sea ratio and weaker wear resistance than one-segment

Mining Anti-Blast Patterns

Board Pattern ("板花")

• Continuous tread with notched shoulder

• Anti-puncture for pure mining, excellent impact resistance

• Limitations: low-speed mine use only; gravel can damage sidewall

Bear Paw Pattern ("熊掌花")

• Three large transverse blocks — center block shaped like a plum blossom ("palm"), side blocks like "toes"

• Outstanding climbing ability

• Center blocks resist impact, but small shoulder blocks prone to irregular wear

2.4 Light Truck Patterns

Profile: Urban delivery, agricultural transport, mining. Uses 7.00R16, 7.50R16 tube-type tires. Patterns are mostly "universal" designs.

2.5 Bus & Coach Patterns

Profile: City buses (frequent stops) vs intercity coaches (long distance). Sizes: 275/70R22.5 (city), 295/80R22.5 (intercity). Core optimization: drainage, anti-side-slip, wear resistance.

Three-Groove (City Bus)

• Zigzag main grooves + transverse sipes

• Strong drainage and grip for frequent stop-start urban driving

• Thickened sidewall to resist curb scraping

• Reinforced carcass for overload tolerance

• Not suited for long-haul highway

Four-Groove (Intercity Coach)

• Universal type — high volume, cost-effective; shallow tread wears faster

• Fuel-saving type — low rolling resistance, quiet, comfortable; average wear resistance

Long Block Drive Pattern (Michelin-style)

• Deep tread, wear-resistant, strong drive

• Groove-base reinforcing ribs prevent block loss

• Limitation: drive-axle only, poor versatility

Part 3: Passenger Car Tire (PCR) Patterns

PCR patterns balance quietness, drainage, handling and grip across daily commuting, sport, off-road and winter scenarios.

3.1 By Structural Design

Symmetric Pattern

• Identical/similar tread on both sides of the center groove

• Continuous longitudinally, interrupted transversely

• Low rolling resistance, quiet, fuel-efficient

• Suited for economy sedans and urban SUVs

• Drawbacks: weaker grip, limited sport performance

• Can rotate tires freely without performance loss

Asymmetric Pattern

• Different tread on inner vs outer side

• Outer side: larger blocks for enhanced high-speed cornering stability and wear resistance

• Inner side: optimized for water drainage

• Suited for high-performance sedans and sport SUVs

• Excellent cornering stability

• Drawbacks: higher noise; must install according to "IN/OUT" marking

Directional Pattern

• Grooves connect into continuous channels

• Marked with a "ROTATION" arrow

• Strong drainage, low rolling resistance, excellent high-speed handling

• Suited for sport sedans and performance SUVs

• Outstanding wet-weather grip

• Limitation: can only rotate front-rear on the same side (fixed direction)

Mixed Pattern

• Combines longitudinal (drainage) + transverse (grip) elements

• Center: zigzag longitudinal grooves; shoulder: transverse grooves

• Well-rounded anti-slip performance

• Suited for most family sedans — the "all-scenario universal" choice

3.2 By Application Scenario

Longitudinal (Rib) Pattern

• Continuous longitudinally, interrupted transversely

• Low rolling resistance, good cooling, strong drainage

• Suited for clean paved roads (urban/highway)

• Common on passenger cars and light vehicles

• Drawbacks: weak transverse grip, prone to stone embedding

Transverse (Lug) Pattern

• Continuous transversely, interrupted longitudinally

• Strong traction and braking force

• Suited for special vehicles requiring high traction (e.g., small construction vehicles)

• Drawbacks: high rolling resistance, loud, prone to side-slip at speed — rarely used on civil passenger cars

Block Pattern (Off-Road / SUV)

Slick (Racing) Tire

• No tread pattern at all — maximum contact area, extreme dry grip

• Historically used in F1

• Drawbacks: no water drainage (hydroplaning), soft compound (fast wear)

• Banned in F1 after 1998; not applicable for civilian use

Winter (Snow) Tire

• Silica-rich soft compound (stays elastic at low temperatures)

• Wide, deep grooves + zigzag sipes for snow evacuation and grip

• Square shoulder edges for anti-side-slip

• Suited for roads below 7°C

• Braking distance only 1/3 to 1/8 of all-season tires on ice/snow

• Drawback: poor wear resistance — winter-season use only

Part 4: Key Application Principles

4.1 Avoiding Hydroplaning

On wet roads at speed, grooves that cannot evacuate the water film cause hydroplaning.

Prevention:

• Choose patterns with strong drainage (four-groove rib, directional)

• Avoid worn-out tires

• Slightly increase inflation pressure (reduces contact area, accelerates drainage)

4.2 Directional & Asymmetric Installation Rules

4.3 Wear Replacement Standards

Conclusion

Tread pattern selection is never "one size fits all." It is a balance between vehicle type, load profile, road conditions, speed and climate. For B2B tire buyers, understanding these distinctions — from the "Old Three-Groove" workhorse to the latest ASYMMETRIC performance designs — enables precise product matching and stronger customer recommendations.