Daniel A. Fittanto, P.E.

Mr. Fittanto has over 14 years of professional experience in the investigation, analysis, and reconstruction of vehicle accidents involving heavy trucks, passenger cars, motorcycles, bicycles, off-highway equipment, and pedestrians. Mr. Fittanto has specialized training and extensive experience in the analysis of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) incidents.

Mr. Fittanto’s education, training, and experience include technical accident investigation and reconstruction, vehicle dynamics, heavy duty truck dynamics and systems, heavy truck brake inspections, 3D computer-aided-drafting (CAD) software, 3-D vehicle dynamics and collision simulation programs, truck engine control module (ECM) and automobile event data recorder (EDR) data extraction and analysis, full-scale testing involving cars and heavy trucks, and photogrammetry. His research and publications include calculating speeds for vehicles in yaw, heavy truck rollover, truck brake heating, and the application of vehicle dynamics computer simulations to car and truck handling analyses.

Fittanto DA, Metz LD, Inendino LV, Senalik CA. Evaluation of the SIMON Tractor-Semitrailer model for steady state and transient handling. SAE 2006-01-3479, 2006.

Fittanto DA, Ruhl RA, Ruhl RL, Southcombe EJ, Inendino LV. Comparison of established heavy brake heating/cooling models with HVE brake designer in a real mountain accident. AE 2006-01-3556, 2006.

Ruhl RL, Inendino LV, Ruhl RA, Southcombe EJ, Fittanto DA. Usable models for free and forced cooling of commercial vehicle drum brakes. AE 2006-01-3557, 2006.

Fittanto DA, Inendino LV. Tractor-semitrailer handling analysis using EDVDS and EDVTS. P#2006-2, 2006 HVE Forum, Phoenix, AZ, February 20–24, 2006.

Ruhl RA, Ruhl RL, Fittanto DA. A comparison of EDSMAC and EDSMAC4 collision models. European Conference for Accident Reconstruction, Wildhaus, Switzerland, June 24–25, 2005.

Fittanto DA, Ruhl RL, Ruhl RA. An overview of the DyMesh method for three dimensional vehicle collision analysis. European Conference for Accident Reconstruction, Wildhaus, Switzerland, June 24–25, 2005.

Fittanto DA, Senalik CA. SIMON and EDVDS validation study: Steady state and transient handling. WP# 2005-3, 2005 HVE Forum, Coconut Grove, FL, February 21–25, 2005.

Fittanto DA, Senalik CA. Passenger vehicle steady-state directional stability analysis utilizing EDVSM and Simon. White Paper 2004-3, 2004 HVE Forum, San Francisco, CA, May 3–7, 2004.

Ruhl RL, Fittanto DA, Strauss MG. Full scale testing of Class 8 tractor/livestock trailer. European Conference for Accident Reconstruction, Neumuenster, Germany, May 31–June 1, 2002.

Fittanto DA. Yaw stability of single versus tandem axle tractors. White Paper 2002-1, 2002 HVE Forum, New Orleans, LA, May 13–17, 2002.

Fittanto DA, Ruhl RA, Southcombe EJ, Burg H, Burg J. Overview of CARAT-4, a multi-body simulation and collision modeling program. SAE Paper 2002-01-1566.

Fittanto DA, Puig-Suari J. Utilizing a genetic algorithm to optimize vehicle simulation trajectories: Determining initial velocity of a vehicle in yaw. SAE Paper 2000-01-1616.

Fittanto DA, Ruhl RL, Strauss MG. Dynamics and roll stability of a loaded Class 8 tractor-livestock semi-trailer: An EDVDS application. WP 2000-4, 2000 HVE Forum, San Diego, CA, May 8–12, 2000.

Clark BA, Ruhl RL, Strauss MG, Mahal T, Fittanto DA. Dynamics and roll stability of a loaded Class 8 Tractor-Livestock Semi-Trailer. SAE Paper 1999-01-3732. (Also published in Roll Stability Dynamics, Ride and Handling, SP-1486).

Book Chapters

An overview of trucking. Truck Accident Litigation, Chapter 1, Second Edition. American Bar Association, Chicago, IL, 2006.

Part I: Technology: What exists, how to us it, and admissibility in court—Heavy vehicles and simulation. Truck Accident Litigation, Chapter 29, Second Edition. American Bar Association, Chicago, 2006.

Books Edited

Truck and Trucking Handbook: A Primer. Ruhl and Associates, May 2000.

Vehicle Accident Investigation: A Guide for Risk Managers and Claims Personnel. Ruhl RA Owen DG (eds), Ruhl and Associates, 1994.

Presentations

Fittanto DA. Technical vehicle accident reconstruction. Presented at Liberty Mutual, Duluth, GA, September 2007.

Fittanto DA. Vehicle event data recorders. Presented at Traveler’s Insurance, Naperville, IL, July 24, 2007.

Fittanto DA. Technology in heavy truck accident investigation. Presented at Northland Insurance, St. Paul, MN, April 2007.

Fittanto DA. Evaluation of the SIMON Tractor-Semitrailer Model for steady state and transient handling. SAE Paper 2006-01-3479, presented at the 2006 SAE Commercial Vehicle Engineering Congress, Rosemont, IL, October 31–November 2, 2006.

Fittanto DA. Electronic data from cars and heavy trucks. Presented to Northland Insurance, St. Paul, MN, September 15, 2005.

Fittanto DA. Electronic data from cars and heavy trucks. Presented to Traveler’s Insurance, Naperville, IL, June 29, 2005.

Ruhl RA, Fittanto DA, Ruhl RA. A comparison of EDSMAC and EDSMAC4 collision models. Presented at the European Conference for Accident Reconstruction, Wildhaus, Switzerland, June 24–25, 2005.

Fittanto DA, Ruhl RL, Ruhl RA. An overview of the DyMesh method for three dimensional vehicle collision analysis. Presented at the European Conference for Accident Reconstruction, Wildhaus, Switzerland, June 24–25, 2005.

Fittanto DA. SIMON and EDVDS validation study: Steady state and transient handling. White Paper 2005-3, presented at the 2005 HVE Forum, Coconut Grove, FL, February 21–25, 2005.

Fittanto DA. Passenger vehicle steady-state directional stability analysis utilizing EDVSM and SIMON. White Paper 2004-3, presented at the 2004 HVE Forum, San Francisco, CA, May 3–7, 2004.

Ruhl RL, Fittanto DA. Survey of energy methods used in the United States: Crush and Delta-V. Presented at the European Conference for Accident Reconstruction, Wildhaus, Switzerland, July 4–5, 2003.

Fittanto DA. Full scale testing of Class 8 tractor/livestock trailer. Presented at the European Conference for Accident Reconstruction, Neumuenster, Germany, May 31–June 1, 2002.

Fittanto DA. Yaw stability of single versus tandem axle tractors. White Paper 2002-1, presented at the 2002 HVE Forum, New Orleans, LA, May 13–17, 2002.

Fittanto, DA, Ruhl, RA, Balasa, JA. Validation of Carat: A kinetics based accident reconstruction program. Presented at SAE World Congress 2001, Detroit, MI, March 6, 2001.

Fittanto DA. Utilizing a genetic algorithm to optimize vehicle simulation trajectories: Determining initial velocity of a vehicle in yaw. SAE Paper 2000-01-1616, presented at the 2000 SAE Automotive Dynamics and Stability Conference, Troy, MI, May 15–17, 2000.

Fittanto DA. Dynamics and roll stability of a loaded Class 8 tractor-livestock semi-trailer: An EDVDS application. White Paper 2000-4, presented at the 2000 HVE Forum, San Diego, CA, May 8–12, 2000.

Fittanto, DA, Mahal, T. Dynamics and roll stability of a loaded Class 8 tractor-livestock semi-trailer. SAE Paper 1999-01-3732, presented at the 1999 SAE International Truck and Bus Meeting and Exposition, Detroit, MI, November 15–17, 1999.

• Consulting Engineer, Ruhl Forensic, Inc., 1993–2006

• Society of Automotive Engineers, Associate Member—SAE
• Illinois Society of Professional Engineers—ISPE
• National Society of Professional Engineers—NSPE
• National Association of Professional Accident Reconstruction Specialists—NAPARS