Crash testing gas tanks on a Scania truck
15 SEPTEMBER 2022
Safety beyond legal demands. With internal requirements that are based on accidents statistics and deep studies, Scania’s engineers prepare crash tests to improve safety. This time, an installation with 80-litre tanks for compressed natural gas was the one withstanding a heavy side-impact.
Our R&D Expert Engineer that is responsible for crash and safety tests Dan Loftén knows all about these tests. After months of preparations, it was time. “We positioned the heavy loaded trailer tractor across the test track. Then we used a steel cable to pull the deformable barrier, representing a passenger car, straight into the side-mounted gas tank installation, simulating a side-collision,” he says.
The data
The crash test is thoroughly assessed afterwards. The vehicle is inspected, and the engineers dismount the parts they find interesting. “And then the analysis. We use data from measurements during the test and also look at the high-speed videos to have a detailed view of the event.” The material can also be used for simulations and to develop simplified test methods, as the tests done with a real vehicle are expensive.
So, where the gas tanks damaged? No. Loftén can rest assured that in case of a real accident, the level of safety is high.
