Question
I need references for the determination of safe zone construction for side, frontal, rear, and roll-over. The side impact zone, while least likely, is the one that worries me the most.

Answer
Rule 5.2 states what the race requires in the way of crush zones. A crush zone is just an area of the car designed to collapse in an effort to absorb some of the impact from a collision without impacting the driver space. How these areas are laid out and constructed are at the discretion of the team. The vehicle will comply with the rule as long as the minimum distances are met (the driver, when seated, must have a minimum of 15 cm of horizontal distance from his or her shoulders, hips, and feet to the inside of the most exterior structural frame member). Rule 5.2.3 covers the requirements for rollover protection. The roll cage that surrounds the driver should also protect the driver in the event of a rollover by means of a roll bar. The roll bar should be constructed out of the same material as the rest of the roll cage.

These are what the race requires as a minimum to comply with the rules. Now what I don't know is if your question was about what the race requires in the way of crush zones or how to construct a crush zone. If your question pertained to how to construct a crush zone, please email me and I would be happy to give you some advice on crush zone construction in an unofficial capacity.

Chris Jones
Technical Director
Solarcaptain@earthlink.net

Related Rules

5.2 Structure
Safety is the Sponsor's primary concern with regard to the structural development and fabrication of the solar vehicles.

Insufficient regard for structural safety will result in disqualification from the event during scrutineering. In specific, judges will require teams to show a specific crush zone designed to help protect the driver in the event of collision. Teams not being able to demonstrate a specific crush zone will receive a significant penalty and risk possible disqualification from the race.

Crush zone is defined as an area of the car designed to collapse in an effort to absorb some of the impact from a collision without impacting the driver space. A crush zone must be considered for frontal, side, and rear collisions. Therefore, the driver, when seated, must have a minimum of 15 cm of horizontal distance from his or her shoulders, hips, and feet to the inside of the most exterior structural frame member.

5.2.3 Roll Cage
All solar cars must be equipped with a roll cage that encompasses the entire driver. The roll cage shall be a fixed, integral part of the solar car structure. The protection provided for the driver in a collision must be documented in the team's mechanical drawings. In addition to providing collision and rollover protection, the roll cage must be designed so as to deflect body/array panels of the car away from the driver in the event of an accident. There must be at least 5 cm of clearance in all directions between the roll cage and the driver seated in the normal driving position. The roll cage tubing must be made from carbon steel and have a minimum outside diameter of 2.5 cm and minimum wall thickness of 2 mm. Alternate materials that afford equivalent protection for the driver are permitted, provided they are fully documented in the team's mechanical drawings.

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