(2468)PRODUCTION OF A COLLISION PROTECTION SYSTEM FOR A COMPOSITE MONOCOQUE RACECAR FRAME

摘要

Each year, the Society of Automotive Engineers sponsors a series of collegiate competitions involving student produced small-scale formula style racecars. Many of the student design teams elect to use carbon fiber reinforced composites in place of steel tubing for frame construction to save weight and increase stiffness. The design, fabrication and testing of a collision protection system for this type of composite monocoque frame is presented. Applicable system components include roll hoop and racing harness attachment points, front bulkhead and impact attenuator plate mounting points. Laminate tests and component level tests of various full scale test articles were conducted to validate the material selection and laminate design of various critical sections. Testing included flexure and perimeter shear evaluations. Each system component met or exceeded safety requirements established by stringent competition rules. The overall monocoque frame with all collision protection systems installed weighed 53 % less than the steel space frame it was designed to replace and yielded a 43 % improvement in torsional rigidity which results in improved vehicle handling.