Fuel System Technology
Design Group Analysis
Download Summary
Download
Final Report
Contractor: Keith Friedman, Friedman Research Corporation
Purpose:
Results from a previous analysis of State field data has indicated that
fire rates for all vehicle classes has decreased over time. Additionally,
the data suggested that light trucks, primarily pick-up trucks have
experienced the greatest drop in fire rates. All vehicle types currently
show similar fire rates. The purpose of this project is to conduct a
follow-on study to attempt to identify what positive actions have taken
place and/or what technologies have been introduced to help reduce the fire
rates. This study will rely on data generated in the previous MVFRI funded
studies by Friedman Research, Biokinetics, and The George Washington
University. This will involve the analysis of fire related crash data by
division of vehicles based on safety related technologies.
The overall project will focus on the “Causality of a Decrease in Fire
Rates as Related to Fuel System Design Groups.” This overall task will be
divided into the following components:
• Task A - Obtain and implement additional recent state data
Obtain an additional two states worth of data for use in the analysis.
Adding an additional two states will expand the amount of accident data
available for analysis. Minnesota and Washington would be the added
states.
In a subsequent activity additional states could be selected for single
vehicle impact collision type evaluation, which are indicated as having
the highest fire rates in any case. Comparison of these types will provide
insight with regard to design approaches at higher crash severities.
Implement the data files as needed and determine general fire rates for
comparison with reference states already analyzed by vehicle type.
Use the Polk VINA program to augment the vehicle information available
in the available files including information regarding fuel and
carburetor/fuel injection and other vehicle characteristics as available.
• Task B - Coordinate the Identification of Design Groups with
Biokinetics
We anticipate the following design groupings will be identifiable by
Biokinetics for use in subsequent analyses.
- Fuel injection versus carburetion
- Plastic versus metal fuel tanks
- Location of tanks (3 configurations, tank behind axle, tank in front
and above axle, tank inside frame and forward of axle)
- Fuel pump cutoff switch
- Check valves and anti siphon valves.
For each grouping Biokinetics will identify the vehicles that have a
design feature and the time of its introduction. The identification should
include all sister vehicles or shared platform vehicles for which
assessments of applicability have been made.
Biokinetics will provide the identification of the make/models/bodytypes/modelyear
groupings that have the design features of interest. They will identify
the appropriate make/model/bodytype/modelyear groupings for comparison to
each for use in the various analyses (pre/post analyses, longitudinal
studies, lateral studies, and matched pair type analyses). Identification
of appropriate reference control groups will be identified by Biokinetics
in the same way for use in analyses that have comparison groups that can
be defined outside of the remaining fleet for that vehicle type. The model
years considered should go back to the 1991 model year if possible.
• Task C - Identify additional potential design groups
Identify potential design groups through the combination of the data
from state, FARS, and NFIRS data for consideration by Biokinetics to
identify whether engineering design approaches can be identified to
explain high and low incidence of fires within groups. A longitudinal
study of pick-up trucks will be performed first because of the highest
drop in fire rates for that vehicle class. If insightful, passenger cars
will follow.
• Task D - Determine relative fire rates with state data by design
groupings
Examples of analyses to be conducted are:
- Longitudinal comparisons of fire rates across model years for a
particular design group variation (where one type of system was used and
then replaced by another [either step function or phase in]), and
- Comparisons between the design group feature alternatives (e.g.
carburetor v fuel injection, plastic v metal tanks, location
alternatives) for the same accident years, and matched pair analyses
(when feasible)
The analysis will consider
- Effects of older vehicles (does the design approach help with the
older vehicle population?)
- Effects for the 0-4 year old group and then the 5-10 year old
group and 11+ year old vehicle groups as applicable.
|