> If you were to add 12 inches of compressible barrier (like a Fitch
> barrier, banded tires -- 3 layers deep to get a foot of crush -- or
> expanded polystyrene), you drop the deceleration to 2004g average over
> 4.54 milliseconds. Still not survivable. Brain, heart, and other
> internal organs break loose from their moorings and that's all there is.
Yes, except that I don't think the decelration should be figured as 200mph
to 0mph, because the car certainly didn't stop immediately. Only a portion
of the energy is dissipated in that initial hit, significantly reduced the
g's experienced--reduced to the point that an energy absorbing barrier
might indeed make all the difference in the world, if not in that accident
than in another one down the line. Particularly if that barrier was
reached only after skidding across energy-scrubbing concrete or gravel
first.
One type of absorbing barrier got a big test at an IROC race at Indy when
Arie Lyundek whacked the inside wall big time, and it seemed to work
awfully well. If more testing needs to be done, then it should be done
immediately, and a workable system installed on every inch of interior
wall on every big and little oval. And we need to find something that
works for the outside wall too.
IMO, the risks on the superspeedways are just too great. CART should stick
to the short ovals and road courses (still dangerous, yes, but where the
frequency of serious injuries seems much lower).
Tom Maycock
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