Análise do Ciclo de Vida de um Pneu de Passeio no Brasil: Seleção de Material da Banda de Rodagem e Aspectos de Gestão de Fim de Vida

This study assesses the life cycle of a standard passenger car tire in the Brazilian context using Ansys Granta EduPack. A representative 195/65R15 tire was modeled considering constituent materials, manufacturing routes, a simplified 2000 km transport stage, a 5-year service life, and 75,000 km of use. Carbon and energy footprints were estimated for the main life-cycle stages. The results indicate that the use phase is the dominant contributor to tire carbon footprint under the adopted assumptions. Based on vehicle dynamics, the tread was identified as the most relevant functional element for a preliminary material-selection study. Using an Ashby-based approach, elastomer candidates were screened and EVA was selected for comparative assessment due to its recyclability. However, the subsequent life-cycle analysis showed that replacing conventional tread rubber with EVA increased both carbon and energy footprints, despite improving end-of-life potential. An additional scenario assuming correct end-of-life destination for all tires reduced carbon footprint, although without energy-footprint gains. Within the limits of the simplified model, the results suggest that end-of-life management is a more promising lever than direct EVA substitution for improving tire sustainability.