Within the last ten years, state-of-the-art technology has allowed for remote control operation of vehicles subject to rollover. However, remote control operation of vehicles subjected to on-road untripped rollovers at highway speeds is costly endeavor. Therefore, very little test data exists, particularly at the point of roll, for vehicles that have experienced steering-induced on-road, untripped rollover.
The purpose of this paper is to present vehicle dynamics data for Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) that have been involved in real world, on-road, untripped rollover accidents. This paper compiles and analyzes 34 SUV rollover accidents. The accidents were reconstructed with the pre-roll vehicle motion simulated using the Vehicle Dynamic Analysis Non-Linear (VDANL) computer program. The vehicle dynamic characteristics that were analyzed include: vehicle speed, roll angle, roll rate, yaw angle, yaw rate, lateral acceleration, and sideslip angle. These characteristics were analyzed at two distinct points: two-wheel lift and four-wheel lift. Steer inputs, numbers of rolls, and rollover distances are also presented.
To reduce the occurrence of rollover and the high injury severity associated with these accidents, a better understanding of the vehicle dynamics that lead to rollover important design tools. Furthermore, the data presented in this paper provide valuable information for reconstructing rollover accidents.
LA - SN - 1934-8681 UR - http://dx.doi.org/ ID - ref1 ER -