Assess vehicle stability and estimate the maximum lateral acceleration that a vehicle can achieve
The National Research Council’s (NRC) Heavy Vehicle Tilt Research Facilities include a large outdoor tilt table suitable for testing long vehicle combinations, as well as an indoor tilt table for shorter single vehicles. The tilt tables are hydraulically actuated and employ instrumented load pans to measure the instantaneous tire load perpendicular to each of the load pans. A tilt sensor is used to accurately determine the angle of the tilt table, and additional instrumentation can be used as required to measure the vehicle angle and other vehicle parameters. Chains and straps are used to carefully restrain the vehicle in order to determine the rollover threshold without incurring any damage to the vehicle.
The outdoor tilt table is 24.4 m (80 feet) long and 3.0 m (10 feet) wide, with a maximum tilt angle of 35 degrees. It can tilt a vehicle combination weighing up to 135 tonnes. The indoor tilt table is 9.0 m (29 feet) long and 3.0 m (10 feet) wide, with a maximum tilt angle of 45 degrees. It can tilt a vehicle weighing up to 55 tonnes. The indoor tilt table can be used year-round.
- Determine static rollover threshold
- Estimate maximum lateral acceleration that a vehicle can achieve
- Automotive
- Defence and security industries
- Transportation
Specialized labs and equipment
| Equipment | Function |
|---|---|
| Outdoor tilt table (custom) | Determines the static rollover threshold of buses, long tractor-trailer combinations, or vehicles with tall or wide appurtenances; 24.4 m long x 3.0 m wide; max tilt angle = 35°; max vehicle combination weight = 135 t |
| Indoor tilt table (custom) | Determines the static rollover threshold of heavy military vehicles, medium duty trucks, and passenger vehicles; 9.0 m long x 3.0 m wide; max tilt angle = 45°; max vehicle weight = 55 t; year-round operation |
| IMC Data acquisition system | Records the weight and tilt angle data during a tilt test |
| Jewell Instruments tilt sensor | Accurately measure the angle of the tilt table |
| 8 instrumented load pans (custom) | Measures the weight of the tires on the tilt table and provides data to determine the static rollover threshold |
Private and public sector research partners
- Department of National Defence
- Transport Canada