Study and Analysis of Rollover Resistance of Bus Body Structure by Non-Linear FEM Technique and Experimental Method

Buses are commonly used mode of transport in less motorized countries. With growth in economy, the numbers of buses have increased tremendously both in rural and urban areas. With increased number of buses, the issue of safety of passengers and the crew assumes special importance. A large number of bus accidents involve rollovers and falling into ditches or downhill sides. Therefore, the structural integrity of buses is critically important.

In order to provide buses with minimal rollover resistant superstructure, Economic Commission for Europe, Regulation Number 66 (ECE R - 66) was issued in the early eighties. Type approval can be granted on the basis of rollover test on complete vehicle or body section or pendulum test on body section or by calculations.

This paper includes the numerical simulation of rollover test of a full bus body according to ECE R-66. It also includes similar simulation of a representative bus section and validation with the experimental rollover test. Non-linear explicit finite element analysis was carried out using LS-DYNA solver. Comparison of the simulation and experimental test results showed that the simulation results were in good agreement with the experimental test results. This confirmed the methodology used for simulation of rollover of the busbody section and the same methodology was used to simulate the rollover of full busbody.