Abstract
High-end carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) ski poles of today are lighter and stiffer than previous generations, explained by the higher specific stiffness (stiffness to density ratio) for CFRPs, typically in the range of 0.1 GPa m3/kg compared to approximately 0.03 GPa m3/kg for aluminium. In this study, we have analysed different CFRP pole designs on the market by mechanical testing and microscopy. We conclude that the strive for optimised weight and bending stiffness has generally driven the pole design to be sub-optimal towards stiffness making them unnecessarily sensitive to transverse and impact loads. Based on the experimental findings, we have developed numerical simulation models to predict the bending and stress state in CFRP ski poles under axial as well as transverse (impact) loading conditions. These numerical model has then been used to find a new conceptual pole design with similar weight and stiffness but with seemingly higher impact resistance.
Highlights
An important aspect for improved competitiveness in cross-country skiing often claimed by many athletes and coaches is weight reduction of poles, commonly achieved by a composite laminate design
The longitudinal stiffness, the in-plane shear stiffness, the compressive strength and compressive strain at failure obtained from the material characterisation tests are given in Table 1 below
The strong correlation between the simulated and experimentally measured data indicates that the modelling approach is valid and that the same model could be used with an alternated carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) design in order to get reliable predictions of the stiffness characteristics of new design concepts
Summary
An important aspect for improved competitiveness in cross-country skiing often claimed by many athletes and coaches is weight reduction of poles, commonly achieved by a composite laminate design. High-end composite poles are today lighter and stiffer than previous generations in e.g., aluminium. A negative aspect is that ski poles have become increasingly brittle, which can have devastating consequences in competition. There is a strong need to find the best design of composite ski poles with a good balance between weight/inertia, stiffness and strength. To avoid resource expensive development on a “trial and error” basis, a better understanding of the mechanisms of failure in these poles under impact and transverse loadings is needed. There is an apparent need to establish a predictive simulation driven design process in which different pole concepts can be tested and compared virtually
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