A heavy duty pneumatic tire having a tread provided on its outer surface with a plurality of circumferential grooves is disclosed. At least one of the circumferential grooves is opened on the tread surface at an open groove width corresponding to 2-8% of tread transverse width, has a groove bottom width substantially equal to the open groove width, and is provided on its groove bottom with plural protrusions separated from the opposed groove walls and at an interval between the adjoining protrusions in the circumferential direction of the groove.