EFFECTS OF LIGHT TRUCK AND ROADSIDE CHARACTERISTICS ON ROLLOVER. VOLUME I: INTRODUCTION, TEST VEHICLE SELECTION, AND TESTING METHODOLOGY

The primary objectives of the project are to investigate how the risks associated with vehicle rollover are affected by the interaction of a vehicle and roadside characteristics, and to provide appropriate recommendations for the improvement of rollover safety properties of light trucks while maintaining the desirable characteristics of these vehicles. Both experimental tests and simulated results using a validated computer simulation are employed. Full scale experiments are performed on six light trucks, vans and utility vehicles, and on two automobiles selected based on accident involvement, vehicle configuration, population, and design trends. Different roadside geometries include pavement and transition from pavement onto soil and into a curb. Results from experimental tests are extensively analyzed and used to validate the Advanced Dynamic Vehicle Simulation (ADVS) which is then employed to supplement analysis of vehicle rollover and to evaluate the rollover propensities of tested vehicles. The analysis considers the different causes of vehicle rollover in each of the maneuvers performed. The development of quantitative measure to assess vehicle rollover propensity and to rank the rollover risks is also presented.