Development of a Rear Underride Guard Specification for Heavy Vehicles

This paper summarizes results of a large research program intended to develop a draft rear underride guard specification for heavy vehicles. Results of a series of laboratory and full-scale crash tests performed at the Transport Canada Research Center were used in the development of these specifications. A total of eleven full-scale crash tests was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of different underride guards. The first ten of these tests were performed on a simulated trailer attached guard. In the final crash test, an actual trailer was used to attach the underride guard. Four different underride guard designs were used in the full-scale crash tests. Three different vehicle models traveling at 48, 56 and 65 km/h speeds were used to impact underride guards head on. Results of the first ten crash tests show that the current US FMVSS 223 standard is not adequate in preventing rear underride. Based on findings obtained from these crash tests, an improved guard design was developed and tested using a 16-meter trailer. The final crash test verified the effectiveness of improved guard design in reducing the undesirable effects of rear underride crashes. Based on the results, a draft heavy vehicle rear underride guard specification was developed for Turkey.

• Corporate Authors:

  World Conference on Transport Research Society

  Secretariat, 14 Avenue Berthelot
  69363 Lyon cedex 07,   France 
• Authors:
  • Atahan, Ali O
  • Boucher, Denis
• Conference:
  • 10th World Conference on Transport Research
  • Location: Istanbul , Turkey
  • Date: 2004-7-4 to 2004-7-8
• Publication Date: 2004

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: CD-ROM
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 19p
• Monograph Title: 10th World Conference on Transport Research

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash tests; Heavy duty vehicles; Prototype tests; Specifications; Trucks; Undercarriages; Underride override crashes
• Geographic Terms: Turkey
• Subject Areas: Highways; Motor Carriers; Research; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01085017
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 28 2008 8:14AM