Implementation of composite roof structures in transit buses to increase rollover roof strength and reduce the likelihood of rollover

Abstract A production transit bus with roof pillars of small section size and low-gauge steel, exhibits extensive lateral roof deformation (matchboxing) in rollover impacts. This matchboxing allows the rollover to continue well beyond a quarter roll. Finite element simulation demonstrates that a bus roof design incorporating inexpensive E-glass fiber epoxy composite roof pillars can reduce matchboxing and arrest the rollover of the bus at equivalent or reduced gross vehicle weight.