A Dynamic Component Rollover Crash Test System

Full vehicle dynamic crash tests are commonly used in the development of rollover detection sensors, algorithms and occupant protection systems. However, many published studies have utilized component level rollover test fixtures for rollover related occupant kinematics studies and restraint system evaluation and development. A majority of these fixtures attempted to replicate only the rotational motion that occurs during the free flight phase of a typical full vehicle rollover crash test. In this paper, a description of the methods used to design a new dynamic component rollover test device is presented. A brief summary of several existing rollover component test methods is included.

The new system described in this paper is capable of replicating the transfer of lateral energy into rotational vehicle motion that is present in many tripped laboratory based rollover crash tests. The new rollover component test device includes a fixture, comprised of several unique components, mounted on an existing rollover sled test device. The methodology necessary to ensure the fixture is able to provide representative vehicle roll rates, angles, velocities and accelerations and associated occupant motion for lateral tripped rollover crashes is briefly discussed. Some of the Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) modeling used in the design and development of the rollover test device and methodology are also presented.