Course Design

[Brent]

Are there any books or websites on the subject of solo2 course design?

I was wondering if a mathematical model exists for the designing of courses.

Why do people like to drive their cars around solo2 courses? I figure because it is fun. What makes it fun, what tickles your brain? I think it is because of the G forces attained. If this is true there should be a G force range we are targetting in our course design. Is their a formula using velocity, corner radius and angle that could be used to design course sections or variations of by changing entrance velocity, radius and angle. A computer program could be made to display these variations so that a lot's dimensions, where the start and stop boxes will be and the course time length could be entered and the program would diplay all the possible variations. Or not, just a thought. I know some of you guys are engineers and software gurus who would know more about this than me (sheetmetal installer).

I think a solo2 course is a lot like a roller coaster. You start at the top of a hill, accelerate down the hill, deccelerate up a hill and then accelerate sideways. Or you are in the start box, accelerate to the first gate, deccelerate, accelerate sideways The model and the software probably already exist for designing rollercoasters.

Anyway, I would like to absorb all the available info on course design. If you know of any please post.

[ShaneG]

Brent, try this...Click Here (http://www.ghg.net/cmjfsl/)

I have no idea if it is any good. came across it once in my travels

Shane

[miataboi]

I don't think it's JUST the g-forces...

There is some pleasure derived from doing the fast parts fast and the related g-forces...

BUT... there is also skill and technical prowess involved in doing the slow-parts, slow!



...and you know that the g-force attained on ANY given corner / section will differ GREATLY from car-car... and tire-tire... and driver-driver. so I'd be careful about some of the assumptions.

Most "good" solo 2 courses I have seen... are set up by past champions and solo 2 afficianados who've been around for YEARS.

I haven't seen any models or software packages.
I do know that roller-coaster design is more and more dominated by cad setups... but they are in 3 dimensions and require structural integrity...

Our sport is a 2D splattering of orange cones... stuck to the earth at 1G and outlined in chalk.

[mike_moss]

slaloms tickle my brain. :)

going through a quick straight line (or offset) slalom as fast as i can all the while trying to run over the base of cones and tossing the car back and forth really gets my adrenaline going.

[gatherer]

wow those courses posted in that link look like fun ... as for course design on a computer... I doubt theres a way for computers to create fun courses based on a set number of specs...

what I think would be better is a drawing program with an object that represents one cone then as different patterns are drawn in a saved (slaloms, decreasing radius turns, etc) it would create a database of ideas... so that if I was deigning a course and I thought that PITTL event #2 2003 had a hair pin turn I liked I could open it up and take that section and add it to my course... (all files would have to be to the same scale of course... anyways just my Idea.. in the end I don't think a computer can replace experince and creativity... both of which are important....

[craig]

I have no idea if it is any good. came across it once in my travels

That presentation has been around for a looonnnng time, and seems to be getting longer (and better).

Even if you never design a course, it is worth going through, especially if you compete in the US.

Slide 34 ("Maneuvers to Avoid") rings especially true. Anytime any of these things show up, people will whine and complain.

[Brent]

Shane, thanks that is a good site. It is a lot to absorb all in one reading. There is alot of good info there.

Jeff, I was thinking that if a course is designed well, enough g force can be generated even in the slow sections to brain tickle. A fast wide radius or low degree turn should produce about the same force as a slower smaller radius or higher degree turn. Velocity is not the only factor, the course just has to allow you to maintain enough velocity relative to the radius and degree of the turns to produce the target g forces.

[Marsh]

I find it annoying how few people have read that booklet, yet how many people have heard of it and recommend it. It is also on WOSCA's web site.