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Heavy trucks are produced with a great variety of vehicle configurations, operate over a wide range of gross vehicle weight and sometimes function in extreme duty environments. Frontal crashes of heavy trucks can pose a threat to truck occupants when the vehicle strikes another large object such as bridge works, large natural features or another heavy-duty vehicle. Investigations of heavy truck frontal crashes indicate that the factors listed above all affect the outcome for the driver and the resulting damage to the truck Recently, a new chassis was introduced for on-highway heavy truck models that feature frontal airbag occupant protection. This introduction presented an opportunity to incorporate the knowledge gained from crash investigation into the process for developing the crash sensor's parameter settings.

A tractor-trailer combination unit was driven by remote control and overturned onto its driver's side during an overcorrecting maneuver at 40mph. The purpose of this tractor-trailer rollover test was to gain insight into the vehicle dynamics of a rollover and assess occupant protection during such an event. IMMI personnel first modeled the rollover using TruckSim software to predict the overturning maneuver path, required speed and location of ballast within the trailer. Simulation also enabled proper positioning of cameras and instrumentation to capture the event. Triaxial accelerometers and Dynamic Measurement Units (DMU's) recorded six degrees of freedom to characterize tractor and trailer vehicle dynamics. The driver and passenger seats in the tractor were equipped with the LifeGuard Technologies RollTek system, which includes a roll sensor, seat and seat belt pretensioning systems and side rollover airbags.