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Effective slack associated with seat belt systems for rollover protection is studied for the purpose of improving or anticipating improvements to a motor vehicle rollover protection system. A test method and test devices were constructed to study and develop objective understandings of the effects of motor vehicle seat and seat belt characteristics on effective slack. The test devices and test method were proved in two separate motor vehicles with differing seat belt systems. Results demonstrated that effective slack as a conceptual equivalent to a seat belt webbing length could be repeatable and objectively determined for the systems tested. Determining a seat belt system's effective slack is useful for the purpose of comparing experimental restraints and experimental restraint testing to motor vehicle restraint design and performance.

A vehicle may be loaded in varying configurations that affect its mass properties during normal use. These properties include total mass, center-of-gravity (Cg) location, and moments of inertia. The ranges of these parameters, which are determined by the varied load configurations, define the vehicle's mass property envelopes. These envelopes are useful for evaluating the effect of any load configuration relative to vehicle performance/design specifications. Mass property envelopes provide a clear visual representation of a range of key parameters that significantly affect motor vehicle control. Examples are provided in this paper that illustrate the usefulness of the vehicle mass property envelopes.

Tire marks left by the vehicle prior to impact, rollover, or other event, are important forensic evidence reconstruction of motor vehicle accidents. Often these tire marks have some curvature that is measured and used to calculate the speed of vehicles prior to the event. This calculation is based on the coefficient of friction of the tire/road interface and the radius of curvature of the vehicle center of gravity (c.g.) path. There is controversy about the validity of this approach. To explore this theory, a test vehicle was driven through a series of maneuvers that produced yaw marks for direct comparison of actual vehicle velocity to the velocity calculated by the critical speed formula. Test results show the critical speed formula is inaccurate for most circumstances and does not correctly describe vehicle limit performance behavior.

A controlled experimental program was conducted to determine the response of humans and a human surrogate with experimental lap belt restraints in -Gz acceleration environments. In the program, lap belt anchorage position (belt angle) and belt tension/slack were varied. Human volunteers were subjected to a static -1.0 Gz acceleration for each restraint configuration. A 95th percentile male Hybrid Ill dummy was subjected to a nominal 4.25 m/s (9.5 mph), -5 Gz impact while restrained by each restraint configuration. For the -Gz acceleration, significant changes in occupant head excursion were observed with varied lap belt configurations. In general, less pre-crash belt slack and higher lap belt angles produced significant reductions in occupant vertical excursions. This research provides data for use in evaluating or developing occupant survivability systems for rollover crash environments.

The height of a vehicle's center-of-gravity (CG) is one factor that influences its handling characteristics. A number of height methods are used to measure CG within the automotive industry. This research determined which method has the greatest potential to produce accurate CG height measurements, given anticipated measurement tolerances. Several techniques for measuring vehicle CG height were analyzed mathematically. The contributions of various parameters to total error were determined and the total error inherent in each method was then compared.

Outriggers are devices that arrest vehicle rollover during handling test maneuvers to protect the test vehicle and/or test driver. Validity of data in these tests has been questioned because the effect outriggers have on vehicle dynamics is not well understood. This research quantifies changes in handling characteristics with outriggers attached to a test vehicle. Three outrigger systems of different masses were developed and tested through various limit and sub-limit handling maneuvers. Analysis of the data generated during testing indicates improvements necessary for future outrigger designs leading to better understanding of vehicle dynamics and potentially reduced injuries from rollovers.