Test Tracks at Ladoux (France)
Location
Located at the same site as Michelin’s Technology Centre, 10 km north of the headquarters of Michelin in Clermont-Ferrand, in the centre of France
Details
- The site covers 450 hectares
- A total of 19 test tracks with a total length of 41km allowing to realize tests in fields of wet performance, handling, noise and comfort
- Various additional test facilities available next to the proving grounds (Example: meteorological station)
| |  | | High speed circuit - Length of 7800 m
- Width of 8 – 11.5 m
- Banked bends (neutral speed 100 kph)
- Straight line: 1500 m
- Standard motorway surface
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 | Dry handling course - Length of 2770 m
- Width of 8 m
- Various bends with radius going from 30 to 240 m
- Standard motorway surface
- Officially certified by FIA F1
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 | Dry dynamic platform - Length of 600 m
- Width of 25 m
- Slopes from 0.5% to 2%
- Runway, max. speed of 200 kph
- Standard motorway surface
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 | Wet handling course - Total length of 4100 m
- Width of 7– 8 m
- Various paths: e.g. slow (2300 m), fast (2100 m)
- Automatic watering
- Variable water heights (0.5 to 8 mm)
- Various bends with radius going from 20 to 100 m
- Surface: road grip representative of average European road network
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 | Braking tracks: - Longitudinal hydroplaning and wet braking
- Length of 180 m and 400 m
- Width of 4 m and 5.7 m
- Variable water heights (0.5 to 8 mm)
- Surface: various grip levels µ from 0.2 to 0.7
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 | Wet dynamic skidpad - Circular plate of 120 m Ø
- Automatic watering
- Several concentric trajectories with a radius of up to 50 m
- Surface: pre-stressed concrete in one piece, various grip levels µ from 0.3 to 0.6
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 | Wet handling rings - Radius: 110 m, 35 m, 42 m, 120 m
- Automatic watering
- Water height of 2 mm to 8 mm
- Surface: polished concrete, paving stones, asphalted concrete
- A curved pool of water for lateral hydroplaning tests
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 | Pass-by-noise - Length of 20 m
- Width of 3 m
- ISO 10844
- Exterior noise measurement according to the 2001/43/CE directive
- Surface according to the directive
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 | Noise & Comfort - Length of 600 m
- Width of 18 m
- Simulated road obstacles with bumps and falls
- Surface: macro-rough to ultra-smooth
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For any further information or questions and in order to help us to better understand your needs, please contact :
MICHELIN Engineering & Services (Ladoux)
23, Place des Carmes-Déchaux
63040 Clermont-Ferrand Cedex 9
France
Phone: +33 4 73 10 60 21
Fax: +33 4 73 10 98 70
mes@fr.michelin.com
