Abstract
The aim of this chapter is to give a complete overview about the bobsleigh (or bobsled) and the related discipline of skeleton. Although not the focus of the chapter, some analyses will also be extended to luge. Before starting to analyze specific topics about these sports, it is interesting to give a brief introduction about the history of these disciplines.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
A toboggan is a simple sled which is a traditional form of transport used by the Innu and Cree of northern Canada. The big difference with respect to the most part of sleds is that it has no runners nor skis on the underside, but it rides directly on the snow. The traditional toboggan is made of bound, parallel wood slats, all bent forward at the front to form a sideways “J” shape.
- 2.
Due to velocity and relatively few protection devices, the safety of the track is really critical. As an example, one can remember the fatal accident happened to the 21 years old Georgian luge athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili during the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games in 2010: the high velocity of the luge, in this case around 140 km/h, and a wrong trajectory in a bend brought off road the sled. The luge, running off the track, crashed against a not-protected pole on the side of the track, causing the athlete death few hours later.
- 3.
We neglect the very first part of the race, when the athletes are pushing the sled: this velocity is considered at race time zero, 15 m after start.
- 4.
Just to have an idea of the Reynold’s number value, one can use the values proposed in [10] (or [39]), where for \(Re = \frac{\rho vL} {\mu }\) it is assumed: air density \(\rho = 1.22\,\mathrm{kg/m}^{3}\), air dynamic viscosity \(\mu = 1.79 \times 10^{-5}\,\mathrm{Pa}\,\mathrm{s}\), velocity \(v = 35\,\mathrm{m/s}\) and the athlete length L = 1. 75 m, resulting in Re = 4 × 106. This value of the Reynold’s number identify a turbulent air regime around the athlete.
- 5.
Only France, Austria, Switzerland, and Germany take part in these competitions.
- 6.
In fact, due to the roll motion of the bobsled approaching a turn, the athletes perceive a compression force, that is normal to the ground.
- 7.
In [24] a similar concept of optimal trajectory is defined, with a more sophisticated mathematical approach. In [24] it is proved that this kind of optimality does not necessary correspond with best performances. In fact each driver has a totally different way of drive, less or more aggressive with respect to the steering action, and the best athletes are able to change their style during the run, adapting it to the track and the velocity of the sled.
- 8.
This track is part of the Utah Olympic Park. It was completed in December 1996, the track length is 1680 m roughly, with a vertical drop of 120 m and 15 curves.
- 9.
One may refer to [58].
References
FIBT, Federation Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing (2013). http://www.fibt.com/
Wikipedia, Bobsleigh – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (2015)
International Bobsleigh Rules (2012)
International Skeleton Rules (2012)
M.M. Morlock, V.M. Zatsiorsky, Factors influencing performance in bobsledding: I: influences of the bobsled crew and the environment. Int. J. Sport Biomech. 5, 208–211 (1989)
G. Bruggemann, M. Morlock, V.M. Zatsiorsky, Analysis of the bobsled and men’s luge events at the XVII olympic winter games in Lillehammer. J. Appl. Biomech. 13(1), 98–108 (1997)
C. Zanoletti et al., Relationship between push phase and final race time in skeleton performance. J. Strength Condit. Res. 20(3), 570–583 (2006)
N. Bullock et al., Characteristics of the start in women’s world cup skeleton. Sports Biomech. 7(3), 351–360 (2008)
W.A. Sands et al., Anthropometric and physical abilities profiles: US national skeleton team. Sports Biomech. 4(2), 197–214 (2005)
I. Roberts, Skeleton bobsleigh mechanics: athlete-sled interaction. Ph.D. thesis, The University of Edinburgh, 2013
F.P. Bowden, T.P. Hughes, The mechanism of sliding on ice and snow. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A 172, 280–298 (1939)
F.P. Bowden, D. Tabor, The friction and lubrication of solids. Technical report, Oxford University Press, Oxford (1950)
D.C.B. Evans, J.F. Nye, K.J. Cheeseman, The kinetic friction of ice. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A 347, 493–512 (1976)
B.A. Marmo, J.R. Blackford, C.E. Jeffree, Ice friction, wear features and their dependence on sliding velocity and temperature. J. Glaciol. 51(174), 391–398 (2005)
K. Itagaki, G.E. Lemieux, N.P. Huber, Preliminary study of friction between ice and sled runners. J. Phys. (Paris) Colloq. 48(C3), 297–301 (1987)
L. Poirier et al., Experimental analysis of ice friction in the sport of bobsleigh. Sports Eng. 14(2–4), 67–72 (2011)
F. Braghin et al., Experimental assessment of Bobsleigh dynamics and ice-skate contact forces. Top. Modal Anal. II 6, 487–498 (2012)
P.F. Vint et al., Kinetic analysis of the luge start technique. J. Biomech. 27(5), 620 (1994)
P. Stergiou, L. Katz, Performance analysis of the pull start in luge: Integrated and real-time use of video and force measurement technologies, Technical report (2010)
V. Fedotova, V. Pilipiv, Comparison of lugers’ start elements on a sliding track and an iced start ramp. Port. J. Sport Sci. 11(Suppl. 2), 223–226 (2011)
H.P. Platzera, C. Raschnera, C. Pattersona, Performance-determining physiological factors in the luge start. J. Sports Sci. 27, 221–226 (2009)
S. Lembert, O. Schanchner, C. Raschner, Development of a measurement and feedback training tool for the arm strokes of high-performance luge athletes. J. Sports Sci. 29, 1593–1601 (2011)
J. Roche, S. Turnock, S. Wright, An analysis of the interaction between slider physique and descent time for the bob skeleton. Eng. Sports 7(2), 101–109 (2008)
Y.L. Zhang, M. Hubbard, R.K. Huffman, Optimum control of bobsled steering. J. Optim. Theory Appl 85(1), 1–19 (1995)
A. Kelly, M. Hubbard, Design and construction of a bobsled driver training simulator. Sports Eng. 3.1 (2000), pp. 13–24.
M. Hubbard et al., Simulation of vehicle and track performance in the bobsled. Am. Soc. Mech. Eng. Appl. Mech. Div. 98, 373–376 (1989)
M. Hubbard, M. Kallay, P. Rowhani, Three-dimensional bobsled turning dynamics. Int. J. Sport Biomech. 5, 222–237 (1989)
F. Braghin et al., Bobsleigh performance optimization through a multi-body model, in Multi-body Dynamics 2009 ECCOMAS Thematic Conference, Warsav, Poland, 29 June–2 July, Institute of Aeronautics and applied Mechanics – Warsaw University of Technology (2009), pp. 1–12
F. Braghin et al., Race driver model. Comput. Struct. 89, 1503–1516 (2008)
O. Lewis, Aerodynamic analysis of a 2-man bobsleigh. MA thesis, TU Delft, 2006
F.M. White, Viscous Fluid Flow (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1991)
S.F. Hoerner, Fluid-Dynamic Drag, Hoerner Fluid Dynamics (Backersfield, 1965)
F. Motallebi, P. Dabnichki, D. Luck, Advanced bobsleigh design. Part 2: Aerodynamic modifications to a two-man bobsleigh. Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng. B J. Mater. Des. Appl. 218(2), 139–144 (2004)
A. Winkler, A. Pernpeintner, Improving the performance of a bobsleigh by aerodynamic optimization. Eng. Sport 7(2), 329–338 (2008)
P. Dabnichki, E. Avital, Influence of the postion of crew members on aerodynamics performance of two-man bobsleigh. J. Biomech. 39, 2733–2742 (2006)
A. Winkler, A. Pernpeintner, Automated aerodynamic optimization of the position and posture of a bobsleigh crew. Proc. Eng. 2(2), 2399–2405 (2010)
F.R. Menter, Improved two-equation k-omega turbulence models for aerodynamic flows, NASA Technical Memorandum 103975, 1992
E. Berton et al., Aerodynamic optimization of a bobsleigh configuration. Int. J. Appl. Sports Sci. 16, 1–13 (2004)
R. Hastings, The use of computational fluid dynamics to investigate and improve the aerodynamics of bob skeleton racing, University of Edinburgh, 2008
C.R. Walpert, R.A. Kyle, Aerodynamics of the human body in sports. J. Biomech. 22(1), 1096 (1989)
K. Bromley, Factors affecting performance of skeleton bobsled. Ph.D. thesis, Mechanical Engineering, University of Nottingham, 1999
G.R.L. Dempster, W.T. Gaughran, Properties of body segments based on size and weight. Amer. J. Anatomy 120, 33–54 (1969)
L.W. Brownlie, Aerodynamic characteristics of sports apparel. Ph.D. thesis, Simon Fraser University, 1992
Aerodynamic testing methodology for sports garments (2008)
H. Chowdhury et al., Design and methodology for evaluating aerodynamic characteristics of sports textiles. Sports Technol. 2(3–4), 81–86 (2009)
H. Chowdhury, F. Alam, A. Subic, Aerodynamic performance evaluation of sports textile. Procedia Eng. 2(2), 2517–2522 (2010)
M. Hubbard, Recreating the cresta run. Phys. World, Feb 21–22. International Olympics Committee “Salt Lake City 2002 Olympic Winter Games Global Television Report” (2002)
Wikipedia, List of bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton tracks -Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia (2013)
F. Braghin et al., Design and verification of bobsleigh track, in ASME 2010 10th Biennial Conference on Engineering Systems Design and Analysis, ESDA2010, vol. 4 (2010), pp. 505–512
M. Hubbard, Luge track safety. Sports Eng. 16(2), 123–135 (2013)
Sait Polytechnic, Whistler Sliding Center -Sled Trajectory and Track Construction Study, Technical report (2010)
International Luge Federation, Official report to the International Olympic Committee on the accident of Georgian athlete, Nodar Kumaritashvili, at the Whistler Sliding Center, Canada, on February 12, 2010, during official luge training for the XXI Olympic Winter Games. Technical report (2010)
T. Pawlowski, Coroner’s report into the death of Kumaritashvili, Nodar. British Columbia Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. Case No: 2010-0269-0002. Technical report (2010)
F. Braghin et al., A driver model of a two-man bobsleigh. Sports Eng. 13(4), 181–193 (2011)
F. Braghin et al., Bobsleigh driver model, in Proceedings of the Mini Conference on Vehicle System Dynamics, Identification and Anomalies, 2008, pp. 673–679
F. Braghin et al., Multi-body model of a bobsleigh, in Proceedings of the Mini Conference on Vehicle System Dynamics, Identification and Anoma lies, 2008, pp. 661–672
R.M. Levy, L. Katz, Virtual reality simulation: bobsled and luge, in IACSS International Symposium Computer Science in Sport, 2007
Virtools (2014). www.virtools.com
M. Hubbard, Simulating sensitive dynamic control of a bobsled. Simulation 65(2), 147–151 (1995)
U. Holmlund, von H. Raimo, Model of sprinting based on the Newton’s second law of motion and their comparison. Rakenteiden Mekaniikka 30, 7–16 (1997)
M. Wacker et al., Design build and test of a bobsled simulator for olympic athletes. Trans. ASME 1, 96–102 (2007)
F. Braghin, Cheli, M. Donzelli, S. Melzi, E. Sabbioni, Multi-body model of a bobsleigh: comparison with experimental data. J Multibody Syst. Dyn. 25(2), 185–201 (2011)
F. Braghin, F. Cheli, S. Melzi, E. Sabbioni, Development of a numerical model of a bobsled driver: trajectory planning, in Proceeding of 12th Mini Conference on Vehicle System Dynamics, Identification and Anomalies, 2010, pp. 501–510
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 The Editor
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Sabbioni, E., Melzi, S., Cheli, F., Braghin, F. (2016). Bobsleigh and Skeleton. In: Braghin, F., Cheli, F., Maldifassi, S., Melzi, S., Sabbioni, E. (eds) The Engineering Approach to Winter Sports. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3020-3_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3020-3_7
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-3019-7
Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-3020-3
eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)