This paper proposes a relatively simple technique to evaluate the degree to which a vehicle's roll characteristics have been properly exercised to their maximum in the course of a test in order to compare one vehicle's roll propensity to another. Simple analyses of a vehicle's roll characteristics heretofore assumed the vehicle and suspension to be one rigid body and the static stability factor, T/(2H), was the resulting model to determine one vehicle's propensity to roll compared to another. The analysis presented in this paper, which includes the sprung and unsprung mass interactions, allows quantification of the effects of springs, dampers, roll centre location, masses and centre of gravity locations on the propensity to roll in the severest on-road manoeuvre condition. Most importantly, it allows the researcher to determine from measured dynamics of the vehicle during the test, if its maximum has been reached. (Author/publisher)
Abstract