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There is little debate that reconstructing a rollover crash presents complex multi-dimensional challenges to the reconstructionist. Real world rollovers often cover large amounts of various terrains and typically involve multiple ground impacts. The possible vehicle orientations throughout the roll are almost unlimited. It is also clear that the complexities of these events have placed practical limitations on the abilities for both analytical and experimental models to accurately recreate specific real world rollover collisions. The fundamentals of accident reconstruction do still apply, however, and much valuable and insightful test data is available. This paper will describe a practical methodology and protocol to assist reconstructionists in reconstructing both on-road and off-road rollover accidents.

In this study we continue and build upon previous research conducted with various production three-point restraint systems; studying resulting vertical excursion on restrained inverted occupants. Vertical excursions will be reported for various sized occupants restrained by both production vehicle belt systems as well as systems incorporating alternative designs. Vertical excursions have been reduced by an average of 77% with optimized belt geometry combined with belt pretensioning.

This paper describes some human subject experiments in occupant response to rollover with reduced headroom. The results suggest that with a nominal 10 cm of head room, 7.5 to 15 cm of torso excursion in production belts and more than 15 cm of roof intrusion, serious neck injury is likely. Brain damage/head injury is more likely from a combination of roof rail crush and high change of angular roll rate.