Assessment Services is contributing to Richard Noble's attempt to achieve the first ever supersonic land speed record with Thrust SSC (supersonic car) by carrying out a two-stage programme of high power vibration testing. To succeed, Thrust SSC must travel at a speed in excess of 750mph.
The exhaust of the two Rolls-Royce Spey 205 jet engines which power the car generates high levels of acoustic vibration. The test programme at Assessment Services is helping the Thrust SSC development team to predict the effect of such vibration on the car's structure, and determine whether it will adversely affect performance when Thrust SSC is travelling at the anticipated maximum speed of 850mph. The team is particularly keen to establish how the car's rear titanium panels are to be attached to the main chassis.
Assessment Services is using its vibration capability to excite a representative panel by generating high levels of acoustically transmitted vibration.
The initial stage of testing draws on photo-elastic techniques to establish the most appropriate position on the test panel where strain gauges could be attached. The advanced photo-elastic technique provides a visual reference to highlight the points of maximum strain on the panel.
With the strain gauges in place, the second stage of testing will take place when much higher levels of vibration will be required. Assessment Services will be using its new high power vibration system to generate acoustic vibration of a similar level to that of the jet engines.
The Assessment Services vibration test system is the most powerful vibration generator to be installed in an independent test laboratory anywhere in the UK, and more than doubles the company's vibration and shock testing capability.
When the programme of testing at Assessment Services has been completed, the test panel will be transported to the Directorate of Test and Evaluation Land Systems' aero-engine facility at Shoeburyness for further evaluation at full level using a jet engine.
The team hopes that initial road trials with Thrust SSC will start as early as Autumn 1995. It is anticipated that the attempt on the land speed record will take place in the Black Rock Desert in the US during 1996.
This Web Site also holds a full article about Assessment Services' assistance to the Thrust SSC project - Thrust SSC Environmental Testing - Blink And You'll Miss It.
For more information, please contact Pete Rowe at:
Dryden Brown Limited Building 2 Shamrock Quay Southampton SO14 5QL UK Tel: +44 (0)1703 229041 Fax: +44 (0)1703 227274 Email: dbl@cix.compulink.co.uk or attmail!dbl!pete
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