12 replies to this topic

[king_crud]

I was watching the Superbike World Chamionship the other night, and I noticed they use the inflated padding on the fences that deflates when a rider crashes into it. Why doesn't F1 use these barriers? It would seem a lot safer than the old tyres currntly used. Or is there a problem with the barriers stopping a machine the size and speed of an F1 car compared to a bike. Can anyone shed light on this?

[JuanF1]

Why don't CART and NASCAR use a different element than concrete for their walls?

[100cc]

in bikes the cushion is what the driver hits directly, in f1, I doubt they would be useful.

[TheDestroyer]

Besides.... The difference in the amount of momentum, hence overall crash force, is orders of magnitude greater for an F1 car than a motorcycle.

[Clatter]

I think they may have tried them in the past. I know they have tried several different solutions.

At one time they tried some sort of chicken wire fencing, there were several fences laid out between the track and the wall, the idea being to catch and slow the car down. Wasnt a success at all.

I think they have also used some sort of water filled buffer alongside the walls.

[TheDestroyer]

problem with water is that if you hit it fast enough it's almost like hitting concrete.

[Clatter]

I remember watching one race (dont think it was F1) where one car slammed into the water barrier and the water sloshed out and filled the cockpit. It looked like he needed a lifeguard to get him out, not a marshall.

[TheDestroyer]

that would have been funny to see...

it would be interesting to see if FIA improves barrier technology, especially given the amount of deaths/injuries this past year

[Clatter]

I think they are always looking, but as crude as it all seems I dont think they have found anything any better.

As I said before they have tried other solutions and generally I think they are open to any suggestions.

[markzed]

I think work also needs to be put into the appropriate positioning of the various types of safety barriers at the different tracks.

eg. Concrete for deflection-type corners instead of tyres.

Panis would not have broken his legs if the tyre wall hadn't twisted his car into the wall at Canada.

[TheDestroyer]

markzed, Panis' accident was also freakish.

I mean how many people hit the barrier head on when going down a straight?

[ehagar]

That cushion stuff also has its problems to. In Road America, an AMA rider crashed into it. The stuff bounced back onto the track and caused another accident. Although we might be talking about different stuff. I missed the Lautzring races.

Panis crash would have been bad regardless of the barrier technology, the impact angle was so blunt.

[HP]

For bikes this makes sense. In most crashes I've witnessed with bikes, the driver and the bike get seperated. So the cushion helps the driver. Racing car are designed so that the driver won't be thrown out of the car.

Actually using styrofoam wouldn't be too bad, if it were not easily flamable. Whatever the future brings, the material needs to be able to absorb a lot of energy (like styrofoam), and it shouldn't be too elastic (like styrofoam), to not bounce a car back on the track, and it needs to be inflammable. Additionally it would be great if the material has some self-healing ability, meaning after impact it slowly goes back to it's original form.

Sound like an interesting research project to me.