An air-filled or pneumatic tire is composed on an inner core which is sealed airtight and filled with pressurized air. Normally, a reinforced steel belted tread or other materials, seals this inner core and provides the contact part with the road.
The tire would remain inflated with all the vehicle's weight resting on it, since the air pressure in the tire is greater 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 understand how big of a difference a set of pneumatic tires could make.
Pneumatic tires also come with drawbacks. Highly dangerous applications or high-performance situations for example, these tires could suffer a puncture and this would lead to a total failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds could result in a dangerous car crash. Military planners should take into consideration 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 issues and thus, in some applications, could be more suitable.
The pneumatic tire might have problems as well with the variation in air pressure and tire performance. The lower pressure in a tire can increase the comfort level and the traction. This is due to the fact that tires flatten slightly and more tread is placed in contact with the road. The pressure of the air inside of the tire works to maintain the "up and down" stiffness as well as maintain the lateral stiffness of the tire. Thus, reduced air pressure allows the tires' sidewalls to flex. This leads to poor handling unfortunately. In an airless tire, the stiffness in those two dimensions is independent.
Air pressure factors into other problems too. When it comes to maintaining correct air pressure, consumers are notoriously undependable. Improper air pressure inside tires could lead to really dangerous situations. It is essential to bear in mind that pneumatic tires are prone to temperature changes also, that can be responsible for changing the internal pressure of the tire. It is very important to take into account the type of environments you will be needing your machinery to function in so that you could check the tires on a regular basis and keep the machine as safe as possible.