During these Qatari tests, the last hour will be devoted to driving on a wet track in order to determine whether the drivers risk being dazzled by the reflections of the headlights at night.
The track will be watered by tanker truck, which is a method that dates back several decades, and we have been doing much better since then. Let's take the example of the Ladoux testing ground which is located within the Michelin group's Technology Center, 10 km north of its head office in Clermont-Ferrand. The site covers 450 hectares. 20 test tracks for a total length of 45 km allow grip tests to be carried out on dry and wet surfaces, behavior tests, noise tests, comfort tests, etc. Other tire manufacturers also have testing centers. this guy.
How does Michelin moisten its 3 tracks intended to study the behavior of its tires on wet surfaces? Using an automatic and permanent watering system, the pipes are buried in the ground permanently. The big advantage of this system is that a vehicle can drive while it is raining, which is not the case when driving with a spreader truck.
Here are 5 of the waterable Michelin trails, 3 on the Ladoux site and 2 on the Fontange site:
Qatar therefore just needs to install the same system. Disadvantage: it is expensive. But for Qatar, it's a tip. The circuit cost $58 million, and the lighting alone (added extra in 2008) includes 1 supports and 000 projectors, or the lighting of 3 football fields or 600 average-sized houses. It's not a few water pipes that will ruin the emirate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeOw7bYCNxs
Photos and videos © Michelin
