School project

[Murphy1994]

Hi
I've been asked to complete a school project regarding land racing and the land speed record and was wondering if you could possibly answer a few questions for me as I can't find the answers anywhere on the internet!
1. What equipment is used to measure the distance and time during an attmept on the land speed record?
2. Why is it importnat that the car travels both ways along the course during a record attmept?
3. What sort of developments in vehicle design have helped increse the land speed record between 1899 and the present day?

Any information will be greatly recieved!
Many thanks
Lacey  

[Glen]

Murphy
If you log onto the www.scta-bni.org web site and click on Bonneville you will find a lot there.
The timing is done with a computer and with high speed sensors placed along the course. The two way runs  in each direction is in case there is a grade difference and wind advanage to the vehicle on the course. This is a requirement for AMA, FIA, FIM only. SCTA/BNI requires two runs in the same direction over the same measured mile.
Good luck with the school project.
Chief timer ( retired)

[McRat]

Photosensors spaced a known distance are tied into clocks.  When a car/bike/truck breaks the beam, the time is logged, and calculations are done for the average speed over the interval.  

Elevation changes and prevailing winds can come into play if there is a single direction run.  Most current LSR competitions are now doing only one direction due to logistics.  Only the FIA org still requires reverse runs today that I've heard of.

Probably the only thing the same from 1899 to today is the shape of the tires, which remain round currently.  

[DallasV]

3. What sort of developments in vehicle design have helped increse the land speed record between 1899 and the present day?

Any information will be greatly recieved!
Many thanks
Lacey  

Lacey, there have been sooo many developments since 1899 it would be hard to list them all. You might want to start with this websight, http://www.speedace.info/land_speed_record_history.htm
This shows every ultimate land speed car record from 1898 to 2005. Notice how the cars started as electric, then steam, the internal combustion, jets, rocket, turbofan. those are some of the designs that have helped. but there is also advancements in aerodynamic theory, fuel types, forced induction advances (like superchargers and turbos),stronger and lighter materials, etc, etc, etc...

[Glen]

Pat, read my post. Two way runs are required by AMA, FIA & FIM. FIA has a one hour turn around, AMA & FIM have a two hour turn around. BNI you qualify one day back it up the next day.

[McRat]

DOH!!!   

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Lacey, you also asked how the distance in measured.  As someone said, the distance isn't measured during a run, but rather by surveyors during the set-up of the course.  The locations for each of the light-beam sensors are determined by the survey - and then the sensors are placed there.  They do not move during competition (save by an errant race vehicle hitting one of 'em) -- but the location for it remains clearly marked on the salt so the damaged unit can be replaced by a fresh one - in precisely the same location -- so the system retains integrity.

[Glen]

All records are for a measured Kilo and a measured mile. Each is the elapsed time between the sensors. The Kilo is centered in the middle of the mile.
One hour = 3600 seconds.
3600 divided by say 12.4 seconds =290.322 MPH
This is the same for the Kilo and Mile. Hope this helps a little

[McRat]

...

[McRat]

There are three basic kinds of land speed records:

Flying distance - Average speed over a measured distance
Trap speed - Terminal speed at the end of a measured distance
Distance records - How far you can go in X amount of time

 

[Gwillard]

Photosensors spaced a known distance are tied into clocks.  When a car/bike/truck breaks the beam, the time is logged, and calculations are done for the average speed over the interval.  

Elevation changes and prevailing winds can come into play if there is a single direction run.  Most current LSR competitions are now doing only one direction due to logistics.  Only the FIA org still requires reverse runs today that I've heard of.

Probably the only thing the same from 1899 to today is the shape of the tires, which remain round currently.  

Direction of rotation is also the same. For most runs anyway. 

[Blue]

Hi
I've been asked to complete a school project regarding land racing and the land speed record and was wondering if you could possibly answer a few questions for me as I can't find the answers anywhere on the internet!
1. What equipment is used to measure the distance and time during an attmept on the land speed record?
2. Why is it importnat that the car travels both ways along the course during a record attmept?
3. What sort of developments in vehicle design have helped increse the land speed record between 1899 and the present day?

Any information will be greatly recieved!
Many thanks
Lacey  

1. Optical triggered timing lights are required by all of the recognized sanctioning bodies (FIA, SCTA, BNI, etc.)  by contrast, the international aviation sanctioning body, the FAI now recognizes specific GPS data.

2. Two-way runs eliminate the effect of wind so that a record is not set with a tail wind.  Secondarily, it is a major issue to turn a car around in the time allowed for a second run and prove that the first was not done at the expense of blowing up the car.  For FIA records, the turn time is 60 minutes;  and this is a VERY BIG DEAL for jet and rocket cars.  In fact, only four cars have ever done this in the last 45 years of the absolute LSR.

3. Every bit of technology contributes to more speed from engines, to aerodynamics, to tires.  The fundamental limiter of speed is power vs. drag.  So the biggest speed increases come from more powerful engines in smaller and lower drag cars.  Since power is also limited by the traction that we can get from the tires, aerodynamic drag eventually limits everything.

[Murphy1994]

  Thankyou all for your answers, they have been really helpful. Do any of you know what the official land speed record is as every website I've visited states a different speed?

Thankyou
Lacey

[Gwillard]

763.035 mph over the flying mile.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ThrustSSC

[McRat]

For an unmanned craft, the USAF hit over 6,000mph with their rocket sled in NM.  

Rumor has it, that they still didn't catch the roadrunner and the coyote was court-martialed for misappropriation of equipment.