An air-filled or pneumatic tire is composed on 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.
As the air pressure inside the tire is greater than atmospheric air pressure, the tire remains inflated even with a vehicles' weight resting on it. The air pressure in the tire provides resistance against forces which try 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 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 makes.
Surely, there are some drawbacks to pneumatic tires. Like for instance in highly dangerous applications or high-performance situations, these tires can suffer a puncture and this will lead to a total failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds could result in a serious car accident. Military planners must take into account tires getting blown out by gunfire or explosion shrapnel. A vehicle crew's worst nightmare 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 therefore, might be more suitable in some applications.
The pneumatic tire may have issues as well with the variation in air pressure and tire performance. The lower pressure inside a tire may increase the comfort level and the traction. This is because of the fact that tires flatten a little and more tread is placed in contact with the road. The air pressure in the tire works to maintain the lateral stiffness of the tire as well as maintain the "up and down" stiffness. Hence, less air pressure allows the sidewalls of the tires to flex. Unfortunately, this results in poor handling. Within an airless tire, the stiffness in those two dimensions is independent.
There are other issues with air pressure. Consumers are notoriously unreliable when it comes to maintaining correct air pressure. Tires which have improper air pressure can lead to unsafe situations. It is really vital to note that pneumatic tires are also prone to temperature changes, that can be responsible for changing the internal tire pressure. It is vital to consider the kind of settings you would be requiring your machinery to operate in so that you can inspect the tires on a regular basis and keep the equipment as safe as possible.