Influence of Weather Conditions on Sliding Over Ice at a Push-Start Training Facility
Biotribology 2021
Ernests Jansons, Mārtiņš Irbe, Kārlis-Agris Gross

Ice temperature is commonly thought to be the most influential on sliding over ice, but ambient conditions are continually changing. A complete description of the ambient conditions needs more than the ice temperature. For example, in skeleton competition, where weather conditions significantly influence runners’ treatment, it would be essential to understand how a set of environmental parameters affects sliding over ice. Sliding time as a parameter characterizing the sliding ability were collected at the push-start training facility based on the inclined plane principle over 14 separate experiments at different weather conditions (ice temperature from -6 to -1 ◦C; air temperature from -4 to +10 ◦C; relative humidity from 60 to 95%). The data were then ordered to follow the sequence from colder/ drier conditions to warmer/ more humid conditions. Systematic collection of performance indicators in a complicated setting confirmed the interpretation that the best sliding conditions occur in a theoretically mixed friction setting. The lowest sliding time (potentially lowest coefficient of friction) was ach-ieved at -4 ◦C for the ice temperature, +2 ◦C for the air temperature, and 95 % relative humidity. The vibration analysis showed the differences in sliding ability down the inclined plane between two different weather con-ditions. Under colder conditions, vibrations’ influence was observed higher than under warmer conditions, suggesting that part of the energy could be insufficiently directed in vibrations


Keywords
Ambient conditions Ice friction On-field tests Friction regimes Liquid-like layer
DOI
10.1016/j.biotri.2020.100152
Hyperlink
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235257382030038X?dgcid=author

Jansons, E., Irbe, M., Gross, K. Influence of Weather Conditions on Sliding Over Ice at a Push-Start Training Facility. Biotribology, 2021, Vol. 25, pp.1-9. ISSN 2352-5738. Available from: doi:10.1016/j.biotri.2020.100152

Publication language
English (en)
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