Mechanical Behaviour Characterization of a Commercial Snowboard

Aim of the thesis is to characterize the mechanical behaviour of a commercial snowboard by means of laboratory testing and numerical simulations. The study follows three main topics: • An experimental tensile and bending testing campaign was run on specimens obtained from different parts of the snowboards • An analytical model is implemented and calibrated basing on experimental data • Then numerical simulations are performed in order of implementing a design tool in the framework of the PolitoGlide Team activities The experimental analysis is preformed according to the standards ASTM D3039/3039M – 17 for the tensile test and ASTM D7264/D7264M – 15 for bending test. The results of experimental tests were used for the calibration of the analytical simulation and the numerical simulation of the finite element software Abaqus. The analytical investigation is based on the obtained by the Classic Laminate Theory. The equivalent bending and tensile modulus are then obtained for the specific case study of the commercial snowboard. Then the above computed elastic modulus are implemented on the specimens' structure by applying the 1D classic beam theory and the mechanical behaviour is investigated and simulated. Then the laminate specimens have been investigated by Finite Element Method. The modelling tool of the structure for the numerical method performed in ABAQUS software. This implementing process has an important role as design tool in the framework of the characterization of mechanical behaviour of snowboard during bending and tensile test. The implementation of snowboard structure and simulation done according to the 2D Classical laminate theory At the end of every simulation the deflection and elongation are obtained for all the specimens with various loading values, we obtained also the linear elastic stress-strain of the specimens with different regions (tip and central) and different configurations (longitudinal and transversal), and finally we calculated the young's and bending modulus by three different ways. Then a comparative study was done between the three different methods.