Sport Aerodynamics
September 3, 2007 — September 7, 2007
Coordinators:
- Lars Saetran (Norwegian Un. of Sc. & Technol, Trondheim, Norway)
- Helge Norstrud (Norwegian Un. of Sc. & Technol, Trondheim, Norway)
Sport aerodynamics constitutes the science of aerodynamics coupled to the human activity of sports, i.e. the biomechanics of the human body under the influence of aerodynamic forces. It also encompasses the use of various equipments (or aids) in performing the individual sport activity. The aerodynamic interaction often implies the task to minimize a drag force which must be overcome by the human power output or a gravity force acting on the body. In the areas of, say, soccer and ski jumping the lift force also plays an important role. Hang gliding is a further example where sport equipment is essential in performing the art of exposing the human body to the air environment.
Hence, three fundamental areas of subjects will be covered such as
- Basic aerodynamics (lift, drag, friction etc.);
– Basic biomechanics (sport medicine, performance analysis etc.);
– Sport equipment design (suits, helmets, parachutes etc.).
In order to pay attention to the environmental influence of the individual sport activities, the proposed course will be divided into the following subdivisions:
1. Track running (human power, heat balance);
2. Ice skating (suits, medical issues);
3. Bicycling (equipment design, drag interference);
4. Ball aerodynamics (Magnus effect, tennis, golf, cricket and baseballs);
5. Skiing (cross country, downhill, speed skiing, terminal velocity);
6. Ski jumping (background, friction force, flight, equipment);
7. Sky diving (the atmosphere, aerodynamics of parachutes);
8. Hang gliding/para gliders (wing theory, topographical effects, equipment design);
9. Race cars (ground effect, slipstreaming).
The underlying physical phenomena of the sport activities listed above will be thoroughly discussed together with the basic equations and the physical quantities involved. Since the theme “Sport Aerodynamics” spans a wide variety of fluid mechanical and biomechanical disciplines, extensive theoretical exposition will be limited. However, the course participants will be guided into the literature which exists for the various topics discussed, so she or he can go into a deeper study of the particular sport activity at wish.
The course is self-contained and is addressed to university students at all levels, sport teachers and coaches as well as practicing athletes. Furthermore, the course should also be of great interest to sport equipment manufacturers and radio/TV sport commentators.