Modelling and Simulation of a Single Deck Bus Subjected to Rollover Crash Loading

Buses are the most popular and common passenger vehicle for long distance travel in Malaysia. Increased bus usage as a public transport prompts researchers to study safety aspects of the vehicles subjected to various crash incidents. The most damaging bus accident is rollover crash. The bus structures must have sufficient crashworthiness and strength in order to reduce and prevent injuries and fatalities during the rollover accident. Initially, this paper overviews the current status of rollover accidents and requirement of UN-ECE Regulation 66 which is aimed to improve the bus structure in withstanding the rollover crash. The current bus framework structure comprises galvanized square hollow sections (SHS) which are welded and bolted together. Abaqus was used to simulate responses of bus structure subjected to loadings as specified in UN-ECE Regulation 66. The results showed that the gap allowances of the residual space are complied with the UN-ECE R66 requirements. Further work to optimize the bus structure in terms of weight, structural strength and crashworthiness is proposed.