Design and methodology for evaluating aerodynamic characteristics of sports textiles

Abstract

The material characteristics of textiles used in elite sports garments have been shown to exhibit a significant influence on both the sporting performance, as well as their aesthetics, particularly in those sports where aerodynamic resistance and its associated energy expenditure impact on winning times. The present study examines standard cylindrical arrangements in wind tunnel environments that can provide precise data on aerodynamic drag and lift and can be correlated to fabric surface textures and material properties. Due to complex surface structure, the aerodynamic behavior of a fabric is significantly different compared to a smooth surface. This study describes wind tunnel testing methodologies used to measure both drag and lift forces acting on the fabric surface due to different patterns and materials used in textile manufacturing. The primary objective of this work is to study the effect of the different configurations of the experimental arrangement using experimental methods.

Keywords:

• drag
• lift
• aerodynamic properties
• wind tunnel testing
• fabric
• textile

Notes

School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, RMIT University, Bundoora East Campus, PO Box 71, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. E‐mail: [email protected]