The forensic analysis of skateboard-related accidents requires knowledge of the kinematic characteristics of the skater-skateboard and skateboard-ground interactions to aid in the investigative process.

Much of the existing skateboard research up to now has focused on the motion of the skater-skateboard system. Despite the importance of the interactions of the skateboard and the ground surface, very little is known. The velocities of a skateboard/skater system as the skater stops powering the system or leaves the system are not well defined in literature. A skateboard’s rolling resistance on different surfaces have not been examined. The main objective of this study is to determine the coefficient of rolling friction of three skateboards over two different surfaces. This will help the investigator understand the affect of surface in their calculations as well as the overall condition of the skateboard. In addition, the effect of an unweighted and weighted condition to simulate the presence of a rider will also be examined. Each skate board will be made to accelerate until a constant velocity of 20 kph is reached. The skateboard will then be triggered to no longer accelerate and the skateboard’s deceleration will be monitored and collected using a Slam Stick 3-axis accelerometer. The deceleration will be used to calculate the coefficient of rolling friction for each skateboard type. The testing will be repeated on concrete and asphalt surfaces and with no weight on the skate board, followed by a 78 kg mass on the skateboard. This study will expand our knowledge of skate board rolling behavior in order to enhance the ability of investigators to predict the rolling behavior of a skate board when analyzing skateboard-related accidents. The methodologies used to collect this data will include accellerometers as well as distance measurements. 

A skate board is comprised of several primary components: the deck, the trucks, and the wheels. The trucks connect the wheels to the board and the wheels. In addition, the bearings are contained in the trucks. The bearings, along with the wheels and rolling surface are the primary drivers of rolling resistance. The wheels on a skate board are constructed of poly urethane. These wheels will deflect somewhat under pressure, causing rolling resistance to change as greater forces are applied. Understanding the dynamics of this phenomenon in relation to rolling resistance is critical to an investigator attempting to determine the behavior of a skate board when reconstrucing a skate board related incident. 


Rolling Resistance of a Skateboard

Division / Sponsors: 
Aerospace, Bioengineering, Applied Mechanics, Design Engineering Division, Advanced Energy Systems, Manufacturing Engineering Division, Noise Control and Acoustics, Nondestructive Evaluation, Diagnosis, and Prognosis (NDPD), Nuclear Engineering Division, Process Industries Division, Fluids Engineering, Heat Transfer, Materials, Microelectromechanical Systems, Safety Engineering and Risk Analysis, Computers & Information in Engineering


Paper Proceedings: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/IMECE/IMECE2020/volume/84478

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