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Sarah M. Brennan, Ph.D.
Structures and Composites LabDepartment of Aeronautics & Astronautics Stanford University Advisors:
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Models were developed for calculating
the mechanical characteristics and the on-snow performance of
snowboards.
The snowboards are constructed of layers of materials which may include
wood, foam, honeycomb, fiber reinforced composites, and polymeric
materials.
The models pertaining to the mechanical characteristics provide the
bending
and torsional stiffnesses, the flex, and the twist. A computer code
“Snowboard-MECH”
was written which yields numerical values of these characteristics. The
model pertaining to the on-snow performance simulates the travel of a
snowboarder
of given height, weight, and skill level down an S-shaped course. A
computer
code “Snowboard-TURN” was written in support of this model. This code
calculates
the time it takes the snowboarder to complete the course. The two
computer
codes were verified by comparing the outputs of these codes to
laboratory
data and to data generated by a snowboarder completing a prescribed
S-shaped
course. The results generated by the models and the data are in
agreement,
lending confidence to the models and the corresponding computer codes.
A procedure is described by which the computer codes developed in this
study can be utilized in the design of snowboards.
| Approach | Testing | Results |
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