Heavy (Class 8) truck fuel storage location and geometry has not significantly changed in several decades. Manufacturers have taken steps to improve their designs by eliminating cross over lines and making material property and thickness changes, among other changes, but there has been no mandate or significant effort to decrease the potential for post collision fuel fed fires in heavy trucks. Even with these design changes, FARS data indicates the number of fatal post-impact fires has not decreased over time. Several studies were conducted in the 1980's and 1990's that brought the unprotected design of the fuel storage on these vehicles to light. This paper combines these historical works with current FARS data on the subject and describes a different design approach that increases the impact protection of the fuel storage tank. This new approach uses the truck's frame rails to guard the fuel storage tank and absorb and redirect impact energy. Currently, a heavy truck "saddle" mounted fuel tank's integrity is tested through a 30 foot drop test prescribed by 49 CFR 393 and also listed in SAE Recommended Procedure J703. In this work, a crash test methodology used to test the integrity of a school bus side mounted fuel tank as prescribed in FMVSS 301S is discussed. Results of using this crash methodology on a current "saddle" tank design and a prototype of the new fuel storage system design are also presented.
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