Eventos Anais de eventos
COBEM 2023
27th International Congress of Mechanical Engineering
Development of a Test Bench for Frame Running (PETRA): Load Conditions Analysis and Characterization
Submission Author:
Frederico Sousa Santos , MG
Co-Authors:
Frederico Sousa Santos, João Marcos Xavier, Márcio Peres de Souza, Diego Augusto Costa Alves, CLEUDMAR ARAÚJO, Juliana Cardoso Braga
Presenter: Frederico Sousa Santos
doi://10.26678/ABCM.COBEM2023.COB2023-2263
Abstract
This paper presents the development of a test bench to analyze the loads applied to Frame Runners, a device used in the para-athletic modality known as Frame Running (PETRA). PETRA is an adapted sport suitable for athletes with disabilities that affect mobility and balance, such as Cerebral Palsy. The device used in PETRA is a tricycle-like three-wheeled frame which allows athletes to propel themselves along the track by stepping their feet on the ground. In 2009, PETRA was taken to Brazil as an initiative of the Associação Nacional de Desportos para Deficientes (ANDE), the organization responsible for holding the events and championships in the country. In this context of promoting the sport and providing support to athletes, the Comitê Paralímpico Brasileiro (CPB) approached the authors proposing the design of an affordable and reliable Frame Runner. As PETRA is a relatively new modality, there is limited literature on the subject, which posed a challenge during the design stages as no clear load conditions were found. To overcome this challenge, the research team developed a test bench by instrumenting the structure with load cells in each one of the three wheel hubs and mounting it over an ergometric treadmill. The developed apparatus aimed to obtain data that closely resembled the real operating conditions of the equipment and provide the user with a similar feeling of use as on the track. The tests carried out on the test bench allowed the identification of the behavior and magnitude of the loads applied to the Frame Runner. The results showed that the loads have dynamic characteristics that vary depending on factors such as the user's stride technique and weight distribution on the equipment. The data obtained from the test bench will be used in the structural simulations of the new designed frames, ensuring optimal safety and performance for athletes. Additionally, the test bench can be used as a complementary tool in athletes' training routines. The research presented in this paper contributes to the development of Frame Running as a para-athletic modality and promotes the inclusion of athletes with disabilities in sports.
Keywords
Adapted Sports, Frame Running, PETRA, Load Analysis, Instrumentation, biomechanics
