Forward Roll Hoop

[myurr]

Autosport have an article up about the testing of a forward roll hoop designed to deflect tyres.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/99155

Other than being ugly and in the driver's line of sight, if it's as effective as it appears then what do people think about the concept?

One side thought was brought up by the article that a deflated tyre wont bounce and so is therefore a good thing once it's been separated from the car. Would it be possible to engineer a solution so that if for some reason the wheel tethers fail to hold on to the wheel that a hole would be opened in the rim to deflate the tyre? Could that in and of itself negate the need for this forward roll hoop?

[WilliamsF1]

Why not merge this withthe other thread about canopies

[Websta]

I like the idea of detaching tyres automatically deflating, although it would be quite tricky to engineer a solution with no chance of activating on an attached tyre. If that happened it would be guaranteed to put someone at risk compared to a loose tyre only having a chance of doing so.

[vikram_d]

I have a major problem with this test. What if the tyre strikes an object and is bouncing on the way to car? It would land directly on the drivers head bypassing the roll hoop completely. Moreover I have very seldom seen tyres moving in this kind of a trajectory. I have seen them either rolling on the ground or bouncing around. A fully closed canopy would be much safer. And lastly this thing would look just plain ugly.

[astracrazy]

I like the idea of detaching tyres automatically deflating, although it would be quite tricky to engineer a solution with no chance of activating on an attached tyre. If that happened it would be guaranteed to put someone at risk compared to a loose tyre only having a chance of doing so.

I can think of a few ways of this working. But the problem would be there wheels come on and off during a pitstop.

Perhaps better pays of keeping the tyre connected in the first place should be looked at?

[krisfx]

The article I read talks about scrapping the low noses in favour of this, but it was my understanding the low nose was to stop them coming over the cockpit sides in a side on impact and to stop cars flipping so why is it being replaced by a device to stop tyres hitting the driver?

I don't get it.

[Lycoming]

It stands as a replacement in the sense that it would also stop the car coming up over from entering the cockpit, but the other reason for scrapping the low nose is Webber's backflip, which this obviously does nothing about.

The front roll hoop is worth testing, but I don't think anybody expects it to ever become a thing.

[krisfx]

Yeah good shout. The new low noses didn't stop webber pulling a wheelie either haha, no one seems to be able to stop webber backflipping.

[Lycoming]

Those 2 incidents occured for completely different reasons and had completely different results. Not really relevant.

[Pandamasque]

I have a major problem with this test. What if the tyre strikes an object and is bouncing on the way to car? It would land directly on the drivers head bypassing the roll hoop completely. Moreover I have very seldom seen tyres moving in this kind of a trajectory....

Unfortunately sometimes they do... http://youtu.be/0eHU5Bqe_4Q

That's why if any solutions in the area should be pursued, a forward roll hoop that would provide partial protection while obstructing visibility makes no sense compared to a canopy.

Trying preserve open-cockpit cars as such by surrounding the driver with tall fences is idiotic.

[vikram_d]

Well that was a one in a million chance, but yes like you said sometimes they do happen. A complete closed canopy is the only viable solution. But we still have to see how the rain would affect visibility in a closed canopy.

[Tim.Wright]

I have a major problem with this test. What if the tyre strikes an object and is bouncing on the way to car? It would land directly on the drivers head bypassing the roll hoop completely. Moreover I have very seldom seen tyres moving in this kind of a trajectory. I have seen them either rolling on the ground or bouncing around. A fully closed canopy would be much safer. And lastly this thing would look just plain ugly.

You need to appreciate this test is representing the relative speed between the car and wheel. While the tye looks tous asthough its bouncing vertically, to the car it is always coming almost horizontal.

A wheel will never land vertically on a drivers head for this reason. Thinkof the velocity components. There is maybe 10-20km/h of vertical velocity and 100-200km/h of horizontal velocity so the wheel is always going to hit at an angle of about 5-10deg from horizontal

[thearmofbarlow]

I have a major problem with this test. What if the tyre strikes an object and is bouncing on the way to car? It would land directly on the drivers head bypassing the roll hoop completely. Moreover I have very seldom seen tyres moving in this kind of a trajectory. I have seen them either rolling on the ground or bouncing around. A fully closed canopy would be much safer. And lastly this thing would look just plain ugly.

This test was to illustrate the strength of the device and ability to deflect projectiles away from a driver's head in a direct collision. The linked video is a perfect example of why a system like this is needed. The tire is bouncing perpendicular to the car's path and at a much lower speed. The car essentially drove into the tire. Had a forward roll hoop been installed the tire most likely would have simply been deflected.

That said, I don't feel a forward roll hoop is the answer. I agree that a fully closed canopy would be a much safer alternative. Visibility in rainy situations can be improved with this thing called a "windshield wiper" and would have to be better than eating direct facerain on your helmet.

[N12ck]

I think the answer is a windscreen (still open cockpit) but somehow make it very strong, like the mclaren M23 windscreen to deflect tyres and so on.
I have mocked up a possible solution on my f1 model, but it may have to be slightly taller, but as you see it looks good and doesn't make it enclosed.

[Just_a_fan]

Silly idea in the first place and I note that the tyre hit the leading edge of the roll hoop mounting plate before hitting the hoop itself so perhaps they need to check the results carefully.

I could see a single blade type device being placed in front of the cockpit without too much problem for the driver - they have aerials and pitot tubes there already in some cases. But this sort of frame is just daft.

Smacks of the FIA wanting to look like they're doing something whilst knowing that nothing will come of it.