INTRODUCTION: Vibration damping of sports equipment is nothing new. Over 45 years ago, the company Georg Fritzmeier GmbH & Co. KG, Großhelfendorf, Germany, presented the "Duo Ski". With the help of interchangeable weights - attached to the tip and tail of the ski - the vibration frequencies were adjusted [1]. Vibrations affect edge contact with the snow and, therefore, also the skier's control and safety [2]. Nowadays, the vibration characteristics of skis are influenced by a combination of materials with different internal damping. We use two essential pieces of ski mountaineering equipment, the ski and also the ice axe, to show how much vibrations can be influenced by material damping and weight adjustment to improve safety-related performance. While in skiing, the vibration is primarily induced by uneven ground, with an ice axe, the vibration is actively triggered by a strike from the athlete. METHODS: The skis and ice axes measurements were divided into indoor mechanical vibration tests and/or outdoor subject tests with acceleration sensors. Standardized ski cross-sections were laminated with varying materials (glass fiber, carbon fiber, flax fiber, rubber, and Titanal) and fiber orientation for the mechanical vibration tests. In addition, using a vibration damper with varying mass at the tip of the ski is also considered. The cross-sections are clamped on one side and excited to vibrate freely by a single deflection. Two ice axe variants are analyzed: a self-developed prototype with a carbon-rubber mixt shaft versus a conventional ice axe. The ice axes are clamped on one side and stimulated to swing by a strike. 200g acceleration sensors are mounted on the skis and ice axes for the subject tests. The average accelerations and vibration frequencies are observed. RESULTS/DISCUSSION: A ski layer structure with pure carbon fibers has the lowest damping, followed by glass fiber and flax fiber. By using a rubber layer, the damping can be increased significantly. The outdoor tests show a similar trend, although the differences are smaller. The acceleration signals at the tip of the ski result from a superposition of numerous frequencies. Vibration absorbers with a high mass at the tip of the ski increase the inertia of the system. This can reduce vibrations. However, the driving dynamics suffer. The ice axe with a carbon-rubber mixt shaft absorbs strikes better than a conventional ice axe. The use of carbon also makes it lighter. At the same time, the rubber insert increases the impact tolerance. CONCLUSION: Carbon-rubber combinations in particular exhibit high damping behavior with low weight. Our research has shown that inserting rubber layers over the entire surface can significantly improve the safety and performance of skis and ice axes. This finding has practical implications for the design and manufacturing of sports equipment. In the future, a partial insertion should be tested, whereby the vibration behavior can be tuned even more specifically.
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