×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Effect of manufacturer supplied sunroff on crashworthiness?

Effect of manufacturer supplied sunroff on crashworthiness?

Effect of manufacturer supplied sunroff on crashworthiness?

(OP)
As a retired structural engineer (bridges and other fun stuff smile) I have been asked to comment on the likely effect of a sunroof on the crash worthiness of a 4WD (Toyota RAV4, if that matters).

Likewise, what about the resistance to falling objects?  (eg tree branches falling after bushfire etc - my daughter is a volunteer firefighter, and lives in an area where such things happen).

I would like to think that Toyota (or any other reputable manufacturer) would have ensured that the strength of the structure around the sunroof would be roughly equivalent to the strength of the standard roof without any opening, but....


Please can any knowledgeable member shed any light on these questions?

TIA
 

RE: Effect of manufacturer supplied sunroff on crashworthiness?

I don't know, but "can of worms" is the phrase that springs to mind.

Most times that I have been involved certification/homologation is done on a model that approximates to either the most popular, or the one that is thought to be most likely to fail. This is done by negotiation with the certifying authority. I do not know how it is done with crash or roof crush.
 

Cheers

Greg Locock

SIG:Please see FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

RE: Effect of manufacturer supplied sunroff on crashworthiness?

Normally, the sunroof takes the place of a section of plain ordinary sheet metal, without affecting the stiffeners that run the length of the roof along the sides or across the roof. The roof is not part of a crumple zone in normal front, side, or rear collisions, and unless the roof actually deformed in some way, it wouldn't have had an effect one way or the other.

As for resistance to falling objects, obviously glass can break. Glass in the side windows can break, too. It's no different, it's just another piece.

RE: Effect of manufacturer supplied sunroff on crashworthiness?

(OP)
HI, Greg and Brian.

Thankyou both for responding.

I much prefer Brian's response, since it gives me some reasonable moral support for my uninformed beliefs big smile , but I fully sympathise with that "can of worms" reference.

As it happens, my daughter has now decided to buy a vehicle with no sunroof, but we will be storing your valued advice away for possible future use.

Cheers,
Aus Tim

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources