A pneumatic or air-filled tire consists of an inner core which is filled with pressurized air and sealed airtight. Normally, a tread made with reinforced steel belting or other materials, seals this inner core and provides the contact part with the road.
The tire will remain inflated with all the weight of the vehicle resting on it, since the pressure of the air within the tire is more than atmospheric air pressure. The pressure of the air inside 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 that had wooden wheels, you know exactly how big of a difference a set of pneumatic tires makes.
Of course, there are some disadvantages to pneumatic tires. Like for instance in high-performance situations or highly dangerous applications, these tires could suffer a puncture and this will result in a complete failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds can lead to a dangerous car crash. Military planners must take into consideration tires getting blown out by gunfire or explosion shrapnel. 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 hence, in some applications, can be more suitable.
Pneumatic tires have one more problem involving variations in air pressure and tire performance. Lower tire pressure can create improved traction and increased comfort. This is due to the fact that tires flatten slightly and more tread is placed in contact with the road. The air pressure inside of the tire works to maintain the "up and down" stiffness as well as maintain the lateral stiffness of the tire. Therefore, reduced air pressure enables the tires' sidewalls to flex. Unfortunately, this results in poor handling. 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 proper air pressure. Tires that have wrong air pressure could lead to unsafe situations. It is very vital to keep in mind that pneumatic tires are prone to temperature changes too, which could be responsible for changing the internal pressure of the tire. It is essential to take into consideration the type of environments you will be needing your machine to operate in so that you could frequently inspect the tires and keep the machine as safe as possible.