Khamsin Virtual Racecar Challenge 2015

[astracrazy]

Hi

I'm part of the running of Khamsin Virtual Racecar Challenge (KVRC) which is a virtual challenge where you create a 3d model based on a rule book and compete against others doing the same. We use cfd to get data for each car and another program called virtual stopwatch to create a lap time using this data. This then lets know know the finishing positions for each race.

For the last two years the challenge has been based on current f1 regulations, what we want to know is would other people be interested in taking part in the future if there was a change?

It would be good to hear your opinions and influence by filling out this survey for us
https://docs.google.com/a/khamsinvirtua ... art=invite

Feel free to pop into our thread as well in Engineering Projects and take a look at our website.

Thanks guys

[julien.decharentenay]

The KVRC 2015 challenge is starting to take shape (slowly) with an expanded organising committee. A warm welcome to Chris (our 2013 and 2014 winner) and a welcome back to Nick. It is still in very preliminary stage, but there is no doubt that there will be a KVRC 2015.

[CAEdevice]

The KVRC 2015 challenge is starting to take shape (slowly) with an expanded organising committee. A warm welcome to Chris (our 2013 and 2014 winner) and a welcome back to Nick. It is still in very preliminary stage, but there is no doubt that there will be a KVRC 2015.

Welcome to Chris (I would be sorry if you could not compete this year), to Nick, and good job to all the staff.
I can't wait to have some anticipation about the reference car type.

[Schifty]

Hi, there

i hope this new season, we will got no fee for the entry !!

- i'ved complete the survey about the next season but i will suggest two thing for next season of KVRC

1- May be return in the past end of 80 of 90 and create a car fitting for this period

or

2- Create a brand new open wheel series, i mean we can create each of us a prototype car based on rules maded by someone

[CAEdevice]

Hi, there

i hope this new season, we will got no fee for the entry !!

- i'ved complete the survey about the next season but i will suggest two thing for next season of KVRC

1- May be return in the past end of 80 of 90 and create a car fitting for this period

or

2- Create a brand new open wheel series, i mean we can create each of us a prototype car based on rules maded by someone

I think that a small entry fee (10$ more or less) would be useful to select the participants. The risk is to have people who, after the first race, stop participating.

Also consider the costs of calculation: it's better to pay a small fee and have a proper mesh than to have no fee, but with good quality mesh and solver.

About the rules: as I wrote in the 2014 thread, I don't think that actual F1 rules are a limit about creativity. Studying the 2013 and 2014 cars on the KVRC website, I'm convinced that only one or two patecipants really developed their cars to the limit. Most of people who ask for more geometry freedom have not done any CFD simulation yet... I'm going to reach 50h of CPU time (on a i7-64gb RAM machine) simulating my car since March 2014 and I still have about 20% of geometry that is a pure guess...

[cdsavage]

I've posted this in the 2014 thread but I think we should move things here now that the 2014 competition is finished.

We've decided to go with a completely new, closed-wheel rulebook for 2015. The general shape of the car is very loosely based on a closed cockpit LMP-style car from the past couple of decades, but the detailed rules are written from scratch and won't bear any resemblance to any of the real-world LMP rulebooks. There will be more freedom than there is in current-day LMP1. We hope to make the regulations easier to understand than they were this year, with more images and 3d guide files.

So far things are still in the early planning stages, but I will keep this thread updated with our progress.

[CAEdevice]

It looks interesting!

Even if I think that f1 shaped car would have some advanteges, the most important thing in my opinion is realism, so I hope that details such as fuel tank volume, heat exchangers volume, engine/gearbox, ... will be considered.

A question, what do you mean with "from the past couple of decades"? About 20 years ago LMP most of LMP car had open cockpit (es. Ferrari 333SP), not clod cockpit.

Contemporary LMP1 cars look more promising in my opinion ( http://www.racecar-engineering.com/wp-c ... pzyta1.jpg ), but new LMP3 category would be perfect considering that the mechanic components are simpler ( http://www.lemans.org/wpphpFichiers/1/1 ... elease.pdf ).

[cdsavage]

It looks interesting!

Even if I think that f1 shaped car would have some advanteges, the most important thing in my opinion is realism, so I hope that details such as fuel tank volume, heat exchangers volume, engine/gearbox, ... will be considered.

A question, what do you mean with "from the past couple of decades"? About 20 years ago LMP most of LMP car had open cockpit (es. Ferrari 333SP), not clod cockpit.

Contemporary LMP1 cars looks more promising in my opinion ( http://www.racecar-engineering.com/wp-c ... pzyta1.jpg ), but new LMP3 category would be perfect considering that the mechanic components are simpler ( http://www.lemans.org/wpphpFichiers/1/1 ... elease.pdf ).

Strictly speaking I suppose closed cockpits were featured in the LMP1 regulations only from 2004 onwards, but prior to that we had LMGTP, late 90s GT1, and before that, Group C and IMSA GTP. The regulations won't be based directly on any of these rulebooks, but bodywork styles from all of these eras will probably be legal. Using a closed cockpit also makes things slightly easier from a regulatory point of view as we don't need to consider how to handle the cockpit opening for CFD testing.

Frankly I think the current LMP1 rulebook is too restrictive on aerodynamic devices for KVRC, but the overall proportions will probably be similar. I haven't been able to find a set of technical regulations for LMP3 - are they actually set in stone yet?

Certainly we will be supplying cockpit, fuel tank, drivetrain and suspension templates which must be built around. Exactly how we go about regulations on heat exchangers and other supplied components is still being worked out - when the rulebook is a little more fleshed out we should be able to share some details.

[CAEdevice]

Yes, I confirm that LMP3 rulebook has not been officially released yet.

About the new KVRC rulebook: are you going to provide a basic frame or surviving cell? If not, I thjink that it would be interesting the possibility to compute a simplified Center of Mass (considering the volumes of the components and only one or two homogeneous materials, as "steel" and "carbon fiber") so the each virtual designer can tray to adapt the Center of Pressure (or viceversa).

What abuout the CFD evironement? I hope that basic components will be provided in STEP/IGES/SAT(B)/... foramt and not as faceted geometry.

[MadMatt]

I would definitely be up for a LMP competition!!

[eyalynf1]

I've signed up both years, but not been able to complete my car. Two kids under 5 and a full time job, so...

However, hope springs eternal and I'm still interested in the competition. My difficulty has been having time to complete the modeling alone. So from a purely selfish stand point, I'd like to see the modeling effort required reduced so that I can get to the CFD part more quickly.

For me, this would mean more spec parts, with customization limited to 1 or 2 handfuls of areas. Say a box between the wheels on the sides, a box in front of the front wheels, behind the back wheels, and above the back box. A bit limiting, yes, but if the point is to disseminate and develop CFD software, skills, and use, then getting competitors to the CFD but faster would seem logical.

Either way, I'll be watching and hoping to get my bit in in 2015.

Cheers,

Edward

[Daliracing]

so is it gonna be F1 or LMP?

[CAEdevice]

so is it gonna be F1 or LMP?

LMP

[cdsavage]

The rulebook is closed-wheel and closed-cockpit, but fairly different to the official LMP1 rules. There should be a first public draft of the rulebook and guide files made available in a week or two so that you can get started on a car, but they will probably still be open to changes for a while after that. It should be finalized at least a couple of months prior to the first round.

[CAEdevice]

The rulebook is closed-wheel and closed-cockpit, but fairly different to the official LMP1 rules. There should be a first public draft of the rulebook and guide files made available in a week or two so that you can get started on a car, but they will probably still be open to changes for a while after that. It should be finalized at least a couple of months prior to the first round.

I can't wait! I think that most of the differences between LMP1 and LMPx will be about floor rules, is this correct?