photo of bus with water being sprayed on it
 

Structural Integrity & Durability

There are six procedures that comprise this testing sequence. 

Distortion: The objective of this test is to observe the operation of various subsystems when the bus is placed in a longitudinal twist (simulating operation over a 6-inch curb or through a 6-in pothole) and subjected to a water spray mechanism simulating rain and traffic spray (read full test procedure).

Static Tow: The objective of this test is to determine the strength characteristics of the bus towing fixtures during static loading conditions (read full test procedure).

Dynamic Tow: The objective of this test is to verify the integrity of the towing fixtures and determine the feasibility of towing the bus using a heavy-duty wrecker and specified procedures (read full test procedure).

Jacking:  The objective of this test is to determine the damage caused by a deflated tire and to determine the feasibility of jacking the bus with a portable hydraulic jack to a height sufficient to replace a deflated tire (read full test procedure).

Hoisting: The objective of this test is to determine possible damage or deformation caused by the jack stands on the jacking pads (read full test procedure).

Durability: The objective of this test is to perform an accelerated durability test that approximates up to 25 percent of the service life of the vehicle (read full test procedure).

 
 

About

Established in 1989 by the Pennsylvania Transportation Institute with funding provided by the Federal Transit Administration, the Larson Transportation Institute’s Bus Research and Testing Center tests buses for safety, structural integrity, durability, performance, maintainability, noise, emissions, energy economy, and fuel economy. Based primarily in Altoona, Pennsylvania, the Center also has a facility located at the Larson Transportation Institute Test Track in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania.  

Bus Research and Testing Center

2237 Plank Road

Duncansville, PA 16635

Phone: 814-695-3404

Fax: 814-695-4069