Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) now require frontal and side crash tests to demonstrate the required levels of occupant crash protection. These standards have reduced the numbers of deaths and injuries in frontal and side crashes. At present, there is no requirement for crash testing vehicles in rollovers. The number injuries and fatalities in rollovers has been increasing. Rollovers are the largest source of fatalities in SUV's.
One impediment to the establishment of a rollover test standard is the lack of recognized test conditions. The test conditions need to be representative of the real world rollovers that produce injuries. Rollovers are complex events that frequently involve impacts with other vehicles or fixed objects before or during the rollover. The resulting injuries may occur before, during or after the actual rollover. Consequently, safety features that offer protection during the rollover may be ineffective in preventing injuries from the other collisions that occur.
The objective of this project is to analyze accident data to determine how to classify rollover crashes according to the severity of the rollover as well as the severity of the other crash events that may occur. The resulting research will aid in determining how to best protect occupants in rollovers. It will also provide the basis for a benefits analysis of test methods that can be used to establish an improved rollover safety standard. The research was initially funded by a generous gift of the Santos Family Foundation.
The initial research under this project involved rollover testing of the C/K pickup. Click here to see a rollover test in real time. Click here to see a slow motion video of the initial dummy motion during rollover the rollover test.
Progress has been reported in the following reports and presentations. Click on the PDF icon to view the document.
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JRS Dynamic Rollover Test of 2009 Nissan Versa, Research Sponsored by ASRI, Report May, 2010 |
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JRS Dynamic Rollover Test of 2008 Scion xB, Research Sponsored by ASRI, Report March, 2010 |
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Roll Test 1 - Dynamic Rollover Test of 2008 Scion xB, Research Sponsored by ASRI, March, 2010 |
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Roll Test 2 - Dynamic Rollover Test of 2008 Scion xB, Research Sponsored by ASRI, March, 2010 |
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Sensitivity
Study of Vehicle Rollovers to Various Initial Conditions,
Research for ASRI by
Fadi Tahan and others, March, 2010 |
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JRS Dynamic Rollover Test of 2007 Camry Hybrid, Research Sponsored by ASRI, Report December, 2009 |
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JRS Dynamic Rollover Test of 1999 Camry, Research Sponsored by ASRI, Report October, 2009 |
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Investigation of Different Roof Strengthening Methods to Gain an Elastically Responding Roof in Static and Dynamic Rollover Tests, Research for GWU by Alexander Schmitt, August, 2009 |
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Modeling Neck Compression in Rollovers, by Cristina Echemendia, GW University Report, April 2009 |
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Far-side Sled Test MADYMO Validation, by Cristina Echemendia and Kennerly Digges, GW University Report, April 2009 |
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Injuries in Rollovers by Crash Severity, by K. Digges and A. Eigen, Paper ESV 07-0236, 2007 |
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Effects of Roll Rate and Tripping Velocity on Occupant Kinematics During Rollover, Master's Thesis for GWU by Said Dahdah, 2005 |
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Injury Risk from Objects Impacted Before and During Rollovers, by K. Digges & A, Eigen, Paper at IRCOBI, 2006 |
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Injury Risk from Objects Impacted Before and During Rollovers by K. Digges & A, Eigen, Presentation at IRCOBI 2006 |
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Severity Measurements for Rollover Crashes, by K. Digges & A, Eigen, Paper at IRCOBI 2005 |
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Severity Measurements for Rollover Crashes, by K. Digges & A, Eigen, Presentation at IRCOBI 2005 |
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Rollover Crash Mechanisms and Injury Outcomes for Restrained Occupants by A. Eigen, NHTSA Report DOT HS 809 994, July 2005 |
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Hugh DeHaven: Still Relevant for Rollovers by Carl Nash, Presentation to SAE Government Industry Meeting February 5, 2009 - (Videos below) |
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Video
of VW Jetta and Pontiac G6 Rollover Tests on JRS
Video of Steering Induced Rollover Video of Volvo XC 90 Rollover Tests on JRS |
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Modeling Neck Compression in Rollovers, by Cristina Echemendia, GW University Report, April 2009 |
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Far-side Sled Test MADYMO Validation, by Cristina Echemendia and Kennerly Digges, GW University Report, April 2009 |