The air-filled or pneumatic tire consists of a core filled with airtight sealed pressurized air. Normally, a tread made with reinforced steel belting or other kind of materials, provides the contact part with the road and seals this inner core.
The tire would remain inflated with all the vehicle's weight resting on it, because the pressure of the air in the tire is greater than atmospheric air pressure. The air pressure in the tire provides resistance against forces that attempt to deform the tire. This gives the tire a slight degree of a cushioning effect as the tire hits bumps in the road. If you have ever taken a ride in an old-fashioned carriage which had wooden wheels, you know how big of a difference a set of pneumatic tires could make.
Of course, there are several drawbacks to pneumatic tires. For instance in highly dangerous applications or high-performance situations, these tires could suffer a puncture and this would lead to a total failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds can lead to a dangerous car crash. Military planners should consider tires getting blown out by firing of guns 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 obviously don't suffer from these problems and hence, in some applications, could be more suitable.
Pneumatic tires have another problem involving variations in tire performance and air pressure. 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 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. Thus, reduced air pressure allows the sidewalls of the tires 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. With regards to to maintaining proper air pressure, consumers are notoriously unreliable. Incorrect air pressure within tires can lead to really unsafe situations. It is really important to keep in mind that pneumatic tires are also susceptible to temperature changes, which can be responsible for changing the internal tire pressure. It is important to consider the kind of settings you will be needing your machine to operate in so that you can check the tires on a regular basis and keep the machinery as safe as possible.