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The principle aerodynamic and mechanical design parameters were identified and measured for the four models. The ‘feather’ shuttlecock values provide a guide by which future shuttlecocks can be designed.
The important aerodynamic design parameters are: drag, lift and pitching moment coefficients, together with damping factor and rotation rate. The drag coefficient was measured using two techniques. For the low Reynold’s number range, a terminal velocity experiment was performed (dropping the shuttlecocks in a vertical water column). For the higher range, a wind tunnel with an overhead mechanical drag balance was used. The lift and pitching moment coefficients were measured in a wind tunnel using a specially designed, 3-component strain gauge load cell. Approximate values for the damping factor were measured in a suspension experiment and steady rotation rates were determined in the wind tunnel using a stroboscope.
The important mechanical design parameters are: longitudinal and transverse moments of inertia and position of centre of gravity. These were quantified using various suspension and pivotal methods.
A computer program has been written to simulate the 2D linear and angular response of the shuttlecock during its steady trajectory. The model uses the aerodynamic and mechanical parameters measured in the first stage of this research. A theory was also developed to predict the 3D response, including gyroscopic effects.
Trajectory measurements were made in order to validate this computational model of shuttlecock behaviour and also to enable observations of the angular response of the shuttlecock during a real trajectory. The x,y coordinates were determined by image processing of selected shuttlecock trajectories generated using a specially designed launcher.
Once validated, the computer program was used to ascertain the angular and linear response of the various shuttlecock models studied during a selection of basic badminton shots.
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This page was last updated on 7 January 2004.
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