Project Experiance Some of the projects IVT has worked on over the years.

M small sample of some of the many different projects we have been involved with are described on this page.  While some of the projects are typical examples of test projects routinely undertaken by IVT, some are very unique.  In nearly every case, IVT engineers design and build specialized test equipment, and for many of the research programs, entire test programs and test methods are developed to obtain data that many not be available through other means.

Heavy Vehicle Rollover Tests

This was a project sponsored by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, the University of British Columbia, and others.  For this project two full-scale tractor/trailer rigs were rolled over at the Boundary Bay test facility.

IVT installed instrumentation on the vehicles to record data during the rollover events.  The vehicles were towed to the desired speed, whereupon, an air-release mechanism, specially designed by IVT, released the vehicle, initiating the rollover maneuver.

The first rig was a conventional tractor pulling a 40’ container chassis with a container loaded with lumber.  This rig rolled over on its side at approximately 62 km/h.  The second rollover was a cab-over-engine tractor, pulling a 45’ flat deck trailer loaded with lumber, as shown to above.  This vehicle was also rolled at approximately 62 km/h.

The goal of the test program was to obtain weight shift marks from the vehicles, as well a slide to stop data.  This information is used by collision analysts when investigating highway rollovers.

Air Brake Testing

This was a typical example of testing conducted per the requirements of CMVSS/FMVSS 121 – Airbrake Systems.  The “road tests” required by section 121 are conducted at the Boundary Bay test facility.  Testing includes

• 500 mile brake burnishing
• service and emergency brake stopping distance tests
• park brake static retardation force tests

 

FHWA Side Mounted Fuel Tank Testing

The U.S. Federal Highway Administration requires side mounted fuel tanks on trucks to be able to withstand a series of very stringent tests.  Among these is a test of the pressure relief system, which requires the tank, ¾ full of full, be completely enveloped by a flame, raising the temperature of the fuel between 6° and 8°F per minute.

  Propane torches were used to heat the tanks.  The aim of the test is to demonstrate that the pressure relief system does not allow pressure in the fuel tank to exceed 50 psi.  After the valves activate, the tank is heated until all of the fuel is exhausted.

Tri-drive tractor dynamic performance testing

This is typical of the type of heavy vehicle performance tests conducted by IVT.  In this case the vehicle was a tri-drive tractor pulling a tridem ore trailer.  For the tests the ore trailer was loaded with concrete blocks to bring it up to the maximum legal weight.  Tests conducted with this vehicle include the following:

• high speed off tracking
• high speed lane change maneuvers
• low speed, low friction cornering

Ambulance Seat Belt Testing

In an effort to increase the safety of paramedics and patients, the patient compartment seating of a fleet of ambulances was investigated.  Side facing seating in the ambulances is exempt from the requirements of the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Act Regulations.  However, US Federal Specifications for Ambulances (KKK-A-1822) requires testing of the side facing seating.  The ambulance fleet operator decided to upgrade the seat belt anchorages of all of the side facing seats, and some of the fore and aft facing attendants seats.

For the vehicle types in the fleet that were affected by this project, IVT designed simple, generic seat belt anchorages, which could be retrofitted into existing vehicles with a minimum cost.  The new anchorages were installed and tested in representative vehicles.

• Simultaneous forward load testing of the side facing, multiple-position bench seats (15,000 lb pull)
• Testing of the fore and aft facing attendants seats to CMVSS 207 (Anchorage of Seats) and CMVSS 210 (Seat Belt Assembly Anchorage)

Light Truck Test Program

IVT has conducted a considerable amount of testing to established standards such as Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) and Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Standards and Recommended Practices. IVT has conducted an extensive series of tests on a series of light trucks, to establish performance levels of that class of vehicle.  Many different tests were conducted, including the following:

• ride and vibration testing and analysis to ISO and SAE standards
• fuel economy testing (SAE J1321 Joint TMC/SAE Fuel Consumption Test Procedure—Type II)
• drawbar power testing (SAE J872 Drawbar Test Procedure for Construction, Forestry and industrial machines)
• handling (SAE J2181 Steady State Circular Test Procedure for Trucks and Buses)
• cab interior noise testing
• acceleration testing
• engine braking testing

Demonstration Crash Testing

IVT has in the past, conducted many vehicle crashes, for research, test and demonstration purposes.  Once, under contract to an insurance provider, IVT conducted a series of demonstration crashes to enhance public awareness of the effects speed has on the severity of crashes.  The crashes were conducted at different locations around the Province.  This was made possible through the use of a specially designed remote driving system, which enables vehicles to be crash tested in almost any location.  The remote driving system, designed by IVT engineers, includes onboard data acquisitions systems which enable crash data to be recorded.  The demonstration program included the following:

• side impact demonstration crashes
• ABS braking demonstrations
• airbag deployment demonstrations.