The Effects of Light-Vehicle Design Parameters in Tripped-Rollover Maneuvers - A Statistical Analysis Using an Experimentally Validated Computer Model

Presented herein are the results of analyses of single-vehicle-accident tripped-rollover maneuvers involving eight light vehicles from four classes of ground vehicles. In particular, the minimum rollover velocities of vehicles encountering soil and curb terrain discontinuities in non-tracking situations are correlated with various vehicle-design parameters. All of the vehicles, except for the passenger cars, are analyzed in both unladen and laden states. The minimum rollover velocities for the vehicles in the various maneuvers and states of lading are generated with a 14 degree-of-freedom computer model which was validated using experimental tripped-rollover maneuver results.