Vehicle Dynamics/ATTC/ATD/2025
CHAPTER 7
Vehicle Roll Dynamics
7.1 Introduction
Vehicle rollover is a vehicle’s rotation of 900 or more about its longitudinal axis. It accounts for a
significant fraction of highway traffic fatalities. While only 3% of vehicle accidents result in rollovers,
33% of all fatalities have vehicle rollover as a contributing factor (NHTSA, 2011). Hence there is
significant research being conducted on development of rollover prevention technologies.
Figure 7.1: Vehicle rollover
Factors influencing vehicle rollover
Tire and vehicle characteristics: high center of gravity with severe steering input
Environmental conditions: Ice or bumpy road
Driver
Occurring Conditions
Travelling at high speed on a curved path
Severe corner maneuver
Sliding from cliff
Categories of vehicle rollover
It is categorized in to two, as:
Tripped rollover
Untripped rollover
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The vast majority of rollovers are tripped rollovers and occur due to the influence of an external
mechanical force input on the vehicle, for example, due to impact of the vehicle with a curb, with
guard rails, due to wheel rims digging into a pavement, pot holes, soft soil, etc.
Untripped rollovers, on the other hand, occur due to sharp steering, for example going around a
curved road at high speed or undertaking a quick lane change. The resulting lateral forces
generated at the tires cause the vehicle to rollover.
7.2 Rollover Resistance Rating for Vehicles
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides rollover resistance ratings for
all new vehicles, as part of its new car assessment program (NCAP) for consumer information. Initially,
the NCAP rollover resistance ratings were provided during 2001-2003 purely on the basis of the static
stability factor of a vehicle. The static stability factor of a vehicle is defined as:
where lw and h are the track width and the height of the CG of the vehicle measured from the ground
respectively, as shown in Figure 7.2.
Figure 7.2: Parameters for vehicle static stability factor
Note: A higher SSF value equates to a more stable, less top-heavy vehicle. SSF values across all vehicle
types can range from 1.00 to 1.50. Most passenger cars have values in the 1.30 – 1.50 range. Higher-
riding SUVs, pick-up trucks, and vans usually have values in the 1.00 – 1.30 range.
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Proof: The SSF equation can be understood from the moment balance shown in Figure 7.3. This figure
shows a vehicle under steady state cornering with a lateral acceleration ay. The normal (vertical) load on
the left or inner tires is denoted by Fzl and on the right (or outer) tires is denoted by Fzr. The weight of
the vehicle is denoted by mg. The bank angle of the road is assumed to be zero.
Figure 7.3: Roll moment balance in steady state cornering
Taking moments about the right (or outer) wheel contact point A, assuming the roll angle Ф is small,
Hence the force on the left (or inner) wheels is given by
As the lateral acceleration of the vehicle increases, the normal force decreases until it becomes zero at a
high enough lateral acceleration. This is the point at which the inner wheels lift off the ground and this
could be considered the initiation of a rollover. The lateral acceleration at which the inner wheels lift off
is therefore given by setting Fzl zero. Then,
The factor lw/2h is called the static stability factor (SSF). The lower the SSF, the lower the lateral
acceleration level at which a rollover occurs.
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7.2.1 Tilt Table Ratio
Vehicle weight divided in to two as simulated weight and simulated centrifugal force. Simulated weight
(F1) is the actual weight acting on the veihcle and perpendicular to the table surface. Simulated
centrifugal force (F2) is parallel to table surface.
𝐹1 = 𝑚𝑠 𝑔 = mgcos ∅
𝐹2 = 𝑚𝑠 𝑎𝑠 = 𝑚𝑔 sin ∅
The tilt of the table raised slowly, until the tire at the higher end losses its contact called tip over angle.
Then tilt table ratio (TTR) becomes
𝐹2 𝑚𝑠 𝑎𝑠 𝑚𝑔 𝑠𝑖𝑛 ∅
𝑇𝑇𝑅 = = =
𝐹1 𝑚𝑠 𝑔 𝑚𝑔𝑐𝑜𝑠 ∅
𝑎𝑠
𝑇𝑇𝑅 = = tan ∅
𝑔
Figure 7.4: Tilt table ratio
7.2.2 Side Pull Ratio (SPR)
It is the ratio of minimum force required to lift all tires in one side. It is given as:
𝐹𝑝
𝑆𝑃𝑅 =
𝑚𝑔
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Figure 7.5: Side pull ratio
7.3 Suspended Vehicle Rollover Model
In suspended vehicle model the effect of tire and suspension will be considered because it has an impact
on vehicle rollover model. During rollover the lateral acceleration pull the body outwards and the outer
spring and the outer tire will be compressed. The vehicle ‘s CG also shifted towards the outer of the
vehicle.
Figure 7.6: Suspended vehicle
Now let us find the rollover threshold for a suspended vehicle.
Let h1 = distance from the rollover center to the ground, h2 = distance from CG to the rollover center
and h = vehicle CG height, ϴ1 = angle of CG shifted towards the outer as a result of tire deformation,
ϴ2 = angle of CG shifted towards the outer as a result of spring deflection, d = track width
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Taking moment about B
𝑑
𝐹1𝑍 𝑑 + 𝑚𝑎𝑦 [ℎ1 cos 𝜃1 + (ℎ − ℎ1 ) cos(𝜃1 + 𝜃2 )] − 𝑚𝑔 [ − ℎ1 sin 𝜃1 − (ℎ − ℎ1 ) sin(𝜃1 + 𝜃2 )] = 0
2
Since ϴ1 and ϴ2 are small
cos 𝜃1 ≈ 1 ; cos(𝜃1 + 𝜃2 ) ≈ 1
sin 𝜃1 ≈ 𝜃1 ; sin(𝜃1 + 𝜃2 ) ≈ 𝜃1 + 𝜃2
When rollover occurs, vertical load on the inner tire will be zero, F1Z = 0. Then the rollover threshold
for suspended vehicle becomes,
𝒂𝒚 𝒅 𝒉𝟐
= − 𝜽𝟏 − 𝜽𝟐
𝒈 𝟐𝒉 𝒉
Where 1st term: threshold of rigid vehicle
2nd term: contribution from the tire
3rd term: contribution from the suspension
Angle of CG shifted towards the outer as a result of tire deformation (ϴ1)
𝑚𝑔
𝜃1 =
𝑑𝐾𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑒
Where, Ktire = tire stiffness, d = track width
Angle of CG shifted towards the outer as a result of spring deflection (ϴ2)
𝑎𝑦 𝑚𝑔ℎ2 𝑚𝑔ℎ2
𝜃2 = 2 + 2 𝜃1
𝑔 𝑏 𝑏
𝐾 − 𝑚𝑔ℎ2 𝐾 − 𝑚𝑔ℎ2
2 2
Where, K = spring stiffness, b = distance between the springs
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