Composites
While also involved with the composites team. My main project was to validate a Composite Anti-Intrusion plate for the chassis design with a custom impact attenuator. In validating the impact of the assembly, it provided sufficient representation for correlating the testing procedure.
One of the most exciting experiences on the team was that I was able to attend Cranfield University to test the impact attenuator assembly to ensure its compliance for the FSUK and FS CZ events for the 2024 year. This not only showed it was a legal level of deflection it also had an accurate level of correlation to the impact simulation performed below.
The Attenuator assembly I designed consists of WF51 Rohacell with an anti-intrusion plate laminated using 12 layers of Carbon fibre with 8 M8 fasteners to the chassis front bulkhead.
The Impact attenuator assembly was simulated using Siemens Femap Transient solver with a simple block replicating the sled used in the test with a mass representative to the required energy the assembly is required to successfully dissipate.
These results illustrate the displacement and the corresponding movement where the sled reaches a stationary position before rebounding. The minimum level of deflection on the anti-intrusion plate shows compliance with the regulations for the 2024 events.