OPTIMIZING STABILITY IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT: COUNTERWEIGHT DESIGNS TO COMBAT BUS TOPPLING

Due to the noticeable toppling effect caused by their high center of gravity, buses are hazardous, especially while cornering at high speeds. This study investigates the use of counterweights to improve weight distribution and lower the center of gravity as a possible way to reduce such risks. We devised a workaround utilizing static counterweights, namely 460 kg of rocks set on the inner wheels (920 kg in total) during simulations,since creating a dynamic counterweight system on the simulator would prove challenging. It was predicted that this configuration would balance the destabilizing centrifugal forces by increasing the regular reaction forces at the wheels nearer to the center of the turn.Bus stability was examined in simulation testing with and without the counterweight system under the same conditions. The findings show that counterweights considerably decrease the chance of toppling. It completely eradicated the toppling effect at modest speeds. Compared to baseline trials, the counterweights consistently decreased the toppling occurrences at more incredible speeds.This study emphasizes how counterbalance systems can be a valuable and affordable way to improve bus safety and stability. This preliminary investigation highlights the viability and importance of straightforward, static solutions in tackling important transportation safety issues, even though dynamic counterweight systems may provide additional enhancements.