A recommended specification for heavy vehicle rear underrun guards.
A large research program was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of different heavy vehicle rear underrun guards. Based on the test results, a recommended underrun guard specification was developed to prevent passenger injuries in such accidents. Data obtained from a series of static and full-scale crash tests performed at the Transport Canada Research Center was used in the development of the specification. Four different underrun guard designs were used during the full-scale crash tests. Three different vehicle models representing sub-compact, compact vehicles and light trucks and vans traveling at 48, 56 and 65 km/h relative speeds were used to impact underrun guards head on. The first 10 of the crash tests guard was attached to a simulated trailer while the last one performed using an actual truck. The results obtained from these tests show that a guard built to the minimum requirements of U.S. FMVSS 223 may not be strong enough to prevent passenger compartment intrusion especially in compact and sub-compact automobiles. This paper documents the tests performed, the results obtained and their analyses, and conclusions derived from these analyses. A recommended specification is prepared on the minimum performance that should be required for an effective underrun guard.
Atahan
Ali Osman
AO
Mustafa Kemal University, Department of Civil Engineering, Tayfur Sokmen Campus, 31040 Hatay, Turkey. aoatahan@mku.edu.tr
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004867:Equipment Design / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control