A pneumatic or air-filled tire is composed on an inner core which is filled with pressurized air and sealed airtight. Usually, a tread made with reinforced steel belting or other materials, provides the contact part with the road and seals this inner core.
The tire will remain inflated with all the weight of the vehicle resting on it, as the pressure of the air inside the tire is more than atmospheric air pressure. The air pressure within the tire gives resistance against forces which attempt to deform the tire. When the tire hits bumps in the road, this gives the tire a slight degree of a cushioning effect. 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.
Surely, there are some disadvantages to pneumatic tires. Like for example in high-performance situations or highly dangerous applications, these tires can suffer a puncture and this would result in a total failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds can result in a dangerous car crash. Military planners have to take into consideration tires getting blown out by firing of guns or explosion shrapnel. A vehicle crew's worst nightmare is becoming trapped in a fire zone due to all of their tires becoming flat. Airless tires obviously don't suffer from these kind of problems and thus, might be more suitable in certain applications.
Pneumatic tires have another problem involving variations in air pressure and tire performance. Lower tire pressure could create improved traction and increased comfort. This is because of the fact that tires flatten slightly and more tread is placed in contact with the road. The pressure of the air in the tire works to maintain the "up and down" stiffness as well as maintain the lateral stiffness of the tire. Hence, reduced air pressure allows the tires' sidewalls to flex. Unfortunately, this results in poor handling. Within an airless tire, the stiffness in those two dimensions is independent.
Air pressure factors into other issues too. When it comes to maintaining correct air pressure, consumers are notoriously unreliable. Wrong air pressure inside tires could result in very unsafe situations. It is vital to bear in mind that pneumatic tires are prone to temperature changes also, which could be responsible for changing the internal tire pressure. It is really essential to take into consideration the kind of settings you would be needing your equipment to operate in so that you could regularly check the tires and keep the machinery as safe as possible.