New Toyota test track watered and drained with HAURATON channels

Toyota investment in Zaventem, Belgium

Japanese car company Toyota is expanding its research and development facility in Europe by extending and modifying the technology centre in Zaventem near Brussels. The most important addition is the construction of a test track at this location. This decision means that Toyota is investing in the long-term goal of regionalising vehicle development in order to provide European customers with made-to-measure vehicles.

The three-lane, 1.3 kilometre test track has different road surfaces and bends that simulate European road conditions. Among other things, testing can take place under vibration and wind noise conditions, and the vehicles are optimised accordingly. As well as safety aspects, which are always a priority when constructing test tracks, providing homogeneous road surfaces and avoiding an expensive channel network were important requirements that the planners had to deal with.

RECYFIX HICAP G as the ideal solution

Positive experience that has been gained in Formula 1 racing track construction and operation quickly convinced the decision makers that RECYFIX HICAP channels were the right solution in this case. Although they only have a small inlet slot on the surface, the products have a tremendous retention volume below ground and also remove waste water. Precipitation is quickly collected, diverted into the channel pipe and fed into the public sewer at a central location. The number of manholes was therefore reduced considerably during the construction of the test track.

Customisation for track watering

A special feature of the track is the 150 m long so-called low-friction surface. The FASERFIX 150 channels were equipped with watering modules on this section, via which the quantities of water that are needed for testing are put onto the track. These modules were specially adapted to the contour of the channel. At the same time, the RECYFIX HICAP channel with a nominal width of 300 mm collects the water and returns it to the circuit.

The following HAURATON products provide the test track with reliable watering and drainage:
RECYFIX HICAP G – approx. 500 m with nominal widths of 200 and 300 mm
FASERFIX SUPER – approx. 700 m with nominal widths of 150 and 200 mm