With a well-established history of full-scale automotive research and testing, TRL can provide the motor sport industry with a comprehensive service covering all aspects of the sport. TRL is an ISO9001 and UKAS-accredited organisation and a Federation Internationale de L'Automobile (FIA) approved test house, and has enjoyed a long working relationship with the FIA supporting the development of standards and motor sport research.

 

Certification Testing - Vehicle and Components

TRL conducts whole-vehicle and sub-assembly/component certification testing using a wide range of facilities and adjustable mounting arrangements to suit all types of test pieces, testing to the following:

• FIA F1/Sports Car Technical Regulations
• FIA 8855-1999 - Standard for Competition Seats
• FIA 8860 - Advanced Motorsport Helmets
• FIA 8857 - Rollcage Padding
• FIA 8858 - HANS System
• FIA Headrest Materials
• Federation Internationale de Motorcyclisme (FIM)
• Indy Racing League (IRL)
• Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO)
• Deutscher Motor Sport Bund (DMSB) standards.

 

Development Testing

Development testing is an integral part of the design process. Whether quasi-static or dynamic, TRL has a range of equipment to suit most purposes, plus an in-house engineering design team and motor sport specialists who can support customers' specific requirements, such as assisting with the development of a testing programme for work not regulated by a governing body.

 

Accident Reconstruction

TRL's skills in accurately representing and reconstructing accidents in the motor sport world are available to the FIA Institute to assist their efforts to bring about a safer motor sport environment. They range from the design and manufacture of test equipment, which interfaces with TRL's facilities, to providing innovative methods of accident reconstruction based on the analysis of data captured from actual events.

For example, TRL's work into ‘car launching' has contributed to the development of technical regulations to further improve the safety of not only Formula 1 but also other open wheel racing series.

 

Impact Sled Facility

TRL's state-of-the-art Impact Sled Facility has been designed to conform to FIA test procedures.

Powered by 12 bungees with a maximum energy of 300 kJ, the facility has:

• a closed-loop control system
• a fibre-optic T0 Trigger
• an aluminium sled top plate with standardised tapped hole pattern and reinforced threads
• a rebound brake preventing secondary sled impact
• compact support structures to utilise maximum sled length
• ‘in track' UKAS-calibrated load cells for sled mass measurement
• high-speed video, data capture and analysis.

Frangible Impactor

Designed and developed by TRL, the unique Frangible Impactor's primary function is to protect sensitive and expensive components which don't form part of an energy-absorbing structure. The Frangible Impactor offers significant economic and technical benefits in the event of test piece failure, limiting damage to other components and testing infrastructure.

 

Quasi-static Testing

TRL is equipped with a suite of test machines and rigs to perform quasi-static certification testing of chassis, sub-assemblies and components. These range from a full-size squeeze rig for chassis certification to a large hydraulic press for side-intrusion panel testing, plus a purpose-built rig for FIA HANS testing.

 

Helmet and Materials Test Facility

The Helmet and Materials Test Facility includes a drop tower in excess of 15 m tall and is ideal for development, research and homologation testing of energy-absorbing structures and motor sport helmets.

 

Full-scale Impact Testing

TRL's full-scale Impact Test Facility provides a flexible environment for a range of testing requirements. The computer-controlled winch system is capable of achieving test speeds of 130 km/h with a 2 tonne vehicle and 80 km/h with a 7.5 tonne vehicle. A large pavement area allows offset and angled impacts into other vehicles, barriers or other structures, which can be moving or stationary.