Fireworthiness:​ a final report on the technology base

Digges, Kennerly H.; Stephenson, R. Rhoads

Affiliations

¹Motor Vehicle Fire Research Institute, USA

Abstract

The findings provide a technology base for fireworthiness including the following: fire statistics on crash modes; the behavior of plastic gasoline tanks when subjected to fire and impact tests; finite element analysis of fuel tanks subjected to crash conditions; assessments of automotive fuel components that relate to fire safety; underhood temperatures under driving conditions; flammability of underhood liners; ignition and flammability properties of plastics and underhood fluids; an analysis and synthesis of 22 vehicle burns; fire suppression needs and a laboratory design and test; and examination of fire safety aspects of future vehicle technologies such as 42-volt electrical systems and hydrogen fueled vehicles.

These research results in conjunction with the GM/DoT Fire Research Project have been analyzed and recommendations for fire safety improvements have been proposed. The recommendations include vehicle level fire tests to increases survivability time for crashed vehicles subjected to exterior fires, particularly those that originate under the hood.

Links

URL: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/esv/esv21/09-0211.pdf

Cited By (2)

Year	Entry
2009	Digges K, Stephenson RR. The basis for a fluid integrity NCAP rating. In: Proceedings of the 21st International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 15-18, 2009; Stuttgart, Germany.
2011	Egelhaaf M, Wolpert D. Post collision vehicle fire analysis. In: Proceedings of the 22nd International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 13-16, 2011; Washington, DC.