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Close-range photogrammetry (CRP) is traditionally based on a network captured with the camera lens at a fixed focal length. A zoom lens is not desirable without solving the intrinsic camera parameters for varying focal length and lens distortion. When using a zoom lens camera, multiple focal lengths can be used if the camera is calibrated for each varying focal length, but most consumer grade lenses are not designed to accurately return to (or stay at) mid-range focal lengths. Similarly, using close-range photogrammetric software systems to accurately recover three-dimensional (XYZ) data from Point and Shoot (PAS) digital cameras has been problematic when the images were not intended for CRP. PAS cameras are automatically refocused and easily zoomed so the focal length and lens distortion are typically unknown for CRP mensuration purposes. In such circumstances, traditional CRP analysis can be both laborious and difficult without the correct camera parameters.

Hydroplaning behavior of a single tire running in stationary, undisturbed water of constant depth is a well-studied phenomenon, and has been examined both theoretically and experimentally. Most experimental tire studies have been conducted on drum or flat-track test machines or with towed tires, and correlative expressions for hydroplaning of a single tire have been developed from such tests. Vehicle testing, on the other hand, has typically involved full-scale, proving ground experiments in which gross vehicle motion and behavior were of interest without regard to individual tire contributions. In the present work, we examine the behavior of a vehicle with rear tires running in a path partially cleared by the front tires. Under such conditions, it can no longer be assumed that the rear tires are experiencing the same hydrodynamic conditions as the front tires, nor does their behavior correlate well with conditions obtained from individual tire testing.

Staged motorcycle-to-car and motorcycle-to-barrier collisions were conducted with seventeen early 1990's models Kawasaki 1000 motorcycles. The impact speeds into the barrier and cars were varied between 10 and 49 MPH. The purpose was to observe the change in motorcycle wheelbase, and characterize motorcycle-to-car and motorcycle-to-barrier crush profiles. These crash tests will expand the existing motorcycle crash test database. The vehicles were instrumented with tri-axial accelerometers to facilitate the analysis of forces, speed change, and stiffness. Some of the crash tests were recorded by high-speed video cameras. This paper characterizes the data collection system, summarizes the data collected, and lists the parameters that characterize the collision. Crush data and vehicle rest positions were recorded by typical reconstruction methods.