UK Karting - Notice Board (General Karting) : Re: D.I.Y. crash testing

Notice Board (General Karting)

Re: D.I.Y. crash testing
Posted by 'SimonS' on 24 Nov 2009 @ 20:53

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SimonSJoined: December 2004
Total Posts: 4
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"These tests will be conducted in measured conditions on flat tarmac at (say) 35 and 55 mph Cadet speeds."

I would consider doing these tests at a much lower speed. What you are trying to prove is that one nosecone is markedly more likely to lift the other kart. You need to have some consistency in the data.

The problem with the speeds that you are suggesting is that you are likely to get severe damage in either case. With an uncontrolled kart at those speeds, your results might be simply chance. Anyone contesting your safety case might point out that at 35mph it could be anything from a ripple in the track to a small difference in the impact area.

However if you can show that one began to ride up over one nosecone at 10 mph but not the other until 20 mph (at which time you are riding right over the other noseconed kart) then you have a better case.

To reduce the inaccuracy of letting an uncontrolled kart 'go' at the right speed, I might suggest that you run it along a guide rail, in which case a lower speed is better.

Getting an uncontrolled kart up to 50 mph alongside a car sounds ripe for disaster, particularly as you intend to let it crash into another kart shortly after you let it go. At 50 mph you are doing 73 feet per second, so you are either launching it at a distance (with all the problems of accuracy), or you are possibly involved in teh accident if you don't let go in time.

I'd go for radio control if you have it, possibly with an onboard radio camera so you can see where you are hitting the other kart.

Mira use rope guidance, a cable running to the point of impact with a high speed winch to provide power, but that seems overkill to DIY.

I'm not sure the dummies provides anything useful, unless you are relying on one being decapitated. A bag of ballast in the seat will leave the view of what happens unobstructed.

Other wise I think it is a fine idea and a lot more credible than an 'I think that a kart would ride up in an accident' unproven opinion.

Just one problem....what do you do if it doesn't prove the Zip nosecone dangerous?

Message Thread:

D.I.Y. crash testing by 'IamSparticus' (24 Nov 2009 @ 11:18)

Re: D.I.Y. crash testing by 'Graham S' (24 Nov 2009 @ 13:09)

Re: D.I.Y. crash testing by 'SAS' (24 Nov 2009 @ 13:45)

Re: D.I.Y. crash testing by 'jofabby' (24 Nov 2009 @ 13:23)

Re: D.I.Y. crash testing by 'DBaldwin' (24 Nov 2009 @ 17:49)

Re: D.I.Y. crash testing by 'AdeSmith' (24 Nov 2009 @ 18:15)

Re: D.I.Y. crash testing by 'SimonS' << You are here!

Re: D.I.Y. crash testing by 'IamSparticus' (25 Nov 2009 @ 6:40)

Re: D.I.Y. crash testing by 'propakartin' (25 Nov 2009 @ 9:07)

Re: D.I.Y. crash testing by 'IamSparticus' (25 Nov 2009 @ 9:33)

Re: D.I.Y. crash testing by 'propakartin' (25 Nov 2009 @ 10:27)

Re: D.I.Y. crash testing by 'jofabby' (25 Nov 2009 @ 10:50)

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