Heavy Truck Roll Cage Effectiveness

National accident statistics consistently show that the profession of Class VIII truck drivers is dangerous, and that their fatality rate is very high. One significant reason for this is the lack of rollover crashworthiness of many commercial truck designs. Analysis of numerous trucks that have been through rollovers shows that cab designs are typically designed to be durable, rather than strong, energy absorbing, and able to maintain shape under significant loading. In this current work, both destructive rollover testing and finite element analysis were performed with the objective being the determination of the effectiveness of conventional structural cab reinforcement for diminishing tractor cabin deformation. Intrusion into the tractor’s survival space can lead to mechanical injury (crush) and can also facilitate partial, or full, occupant ejection. The results of this testing show that the amount of structural deformation of the tractor cabin can be significantly reduced, and the amount of occupant survival space preserved using straightforward and cost effective techniques.Copyright © 2009 by ASME