An Analytical Study of the Effect of Inclined Angle of Road on Turn-over Accident of a High-speed Coach running on a Curved Road under Cross-wind Condition

Abstract

Kyeonggi Provincial Government is considering double decker bus service to solve the problem of heavy rush hour traffic. However, the height-to-width ratio is more than 1.16 times larger than that of a general high-speed single decker bus, and the center of gravity is higher. This could cause driving stability problems, such as turnover and breakaway from the lane, especially under strong side-wind conditions at high speed. In this numerical study, the driving characteristics of a model double decker bus were reviewed under side-wind and superelevation conditions at high driving speed. The rolling, pitching, and yawing moment of the model bus were calculated with CFD numerical simulation, and the results were compared to the recovery angular moments of the model bus to evaluate the dynamic stability under given driving conditions. As the model vehicle moves on a straight level road, it is stable under any side-wind conditions. However, on a curved road under side-wind conditions, it could reach unstable conditions dynamically. There is a chance that the bus will turn over when it moves on a curved road with a radius of gyration less than 100 m under side-wind (15 m/s). However, there is a very small chance of breakaway from the lane under any driving conditions.