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F.8.1.1 Forward of the Front Bulkhead there must be an Impact Attenuator with an Anti Intrusion Plate between the Impact Attenuator and the Front Bulkhead.
F.8.1.2 All methods of attachment of the Impact Attenuator to the Anti Intrusion Plate, and of the Anti Intrusion Plate to the Front Bulkhead must provide sufficient load paths for transverse and vertical loads if off-axis impacts occur.
Explanation
F.8.1.1 Forward of the Front Bulkhead there must be an Impact Attenuator with an Anti Intrusion Plate between the Impact Attenuator and the Front Bulkhead.
The Front Bulkhead (which is the chassis member in the very front of the chassis), is required to have an Impact Attenuator and an Anti Intrusion Plate mounted on it's front. The Impact Attenuator is a piece of foam (or something fancy that resembles a piece of foam) meant to dissipate the forces of a frontal impact, thus protecting the driver from super whiplash that would happen if they experienced deceleration forces generated from the metal of the chassis impacting anything remotely rigid. It may be helpful to think of the Impact Attenuator as a sort of external "air bag".
The Anti Intrusion Plate helps prevent sharp things that may puncture the Impact Attenuator from also puncturing the driver. The Anti Intrusion Plate does this by being a metal plate which is sandwiched inbetween the Impact Attenuator and Front Bulkhead (see diagram below).
Both of these components must follow requierements outlines in the following rules in this section. There is also an entire sheet of the SES dedicated to Front Chassis Protection.
As a reminder, this is the Front Bulkhead of our chassis.
This diagram shows (in 2D) how the Impact Attenuator and the Anti Intrusion Plate are mounted to the Front Bulkhead.
Image of our Anti Intrusion Plate from the SES
Image of our foam Impact Attenuator mounted on the Front Bulkhead (see the Anti Intrusion Plate also, which is painted white)
Our impact attenuator normally has a 3D printed cover to protect the foam from wear and tear, in this image I am explaining how the removed cover was manufactured.
This video shows how an Impact Attenuator should crumple to help protect the chassis from deforming.
Here is another video that shows examples of failed Impact Attenuators (they do not protect the Front Bulkhead they are mounted on) and then a passing Impact Attenuator design at the end.
This is a video of a real car running into an external Impact Attenuator in a crash test, which helps minimize damage to the car.
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