Rollover Roof Test Results for a Production Vehicle

Abstract

We have described the Jordan Rollover System (JRS), a dynamic rollover test fixture, in previous reports (Friedman and Nash 2002 and Friedman et al., 2003). The JRS addresses the shortcomings — lack of repeatability and control over test conditions — of previous rollover tests and test devices including various static, drop, and dynamic roll tests. The JRS is designed to emulate specific roof impacts in actual multiple rollovers in a highly repeatable, controlled test. The JRS holds a passenger compartment at the desired pitch and yaw between two drop towers. The vehicle is rotated about its roll axis and, at the appropriate time, the front end is dropped to contact a moving roadway at a prescribed road speed; roll rate; drop height; and roll, pitch and yaw angles. Vehicle parameters can be changed and anthropomorphic crash test dummies added depending upon the variables being tested. We have conducted tests with production vehicles illustrating the performance of production roofs under controlled test situations and at varying strength-to-weight ratios. One such test is described here.