1000 miles per hour – TWI plays its part in the World Land Speed Record attempt

TWI is undertaking a 12-week study, which has identified suitable adhesives and surface preparation techniques for bonding together aluminium and steel parts of the chassis structure. The project team is currently testing an adhesive/rivet combination. The bonding system (adhesive/surface preparation/curing approach) has been developed out of the needs of the car design specifications where a structural adhesive bond has to be achieved and maintained over a range of temperatures up to 150°C and the high vibration loads which will be seen within the chassis. Additionally, the adhesive bond has to retain its strength characteristics for the duration of the challenge and this can only be achieved with any level of confidence if the correct surface preparation processes are applied from the outset.

Final construction of the chassis and the body of Bloodhound SSC will be undertaken by Hampson Aerospace, and TWI will provide support and training to the Hampson engineering team.

The build of the car is planned for December 2012 and trials for the record attempt will begin in 2013 on Hakskeen Pan in South Africa.

Bloodhound SSC will be driven by Royal Air Force fighter pilot Andy Green and powered by a Eurofighter Typhoon jet engine and a Falcon hybrid rocket with a pump driven by a Cosworth Formula 1 engine. The car will be 12.8 metres long, weigh 6.5 tonnes empty (7.5 tonnes fully fuelled) and will accelerate from rest to 1000 mph and back to rest again in 100 seconds, covering 10 miles across the South African desert. With the current World Land Speed Record at 763 mph, set by Thrust SSC in 1997, also driven by Wing Commander Andy Green, this exceptional challenge is being led by former World Land Speed Record holder Richard Noble.

The project has attracted a world-class team of experts, with companies and individuals contributing their time and expertise to play a part in this extraordinary test of engineering.

Bloodhound SSC is also a significant educational initiative to showcase engineering and science, which is currently involving 4900 schools, 44 universities and 260 further educational colleges. 1.5 million primary and secondary students have access to Bloodhound SSC in their classrooms to learn about Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.

TWI will be visiting several schools in the Cambridge region to talk about its involvement in the Bloodhound Project and to encourage schools to register with the Bloodhound Educational programme.