Wave propagation response of porous vibrating sports equipment under thermal loading application on testing athlete performance

The horizontal bar is a staple of men’s gymnastics which allows athletes to perform spectacular routines such as swings, releases, and complex dismounts. This bar must endure significant vibrations and stress when the gymnast stands about 3 meters above the ground. This study proposes replacing traditional horizontal bars with lightweight and porous metal foam cylinders that are able to handle mechanical and thermal challenges. Three porosity patterns namely Uniform Porosity Pattern (UPP), Symmetric PP (SPP), and asymmetric (APP) are explored here to examine their effect on the above-mentioned metal foam. Also, the behavior of these bars under various thermal and material conditions is studied through the first-order shear deformation theory and Hamilton’s principle.
The results indicate how porosity, thickness, and thermal condition would influence the bar’s wave frequency and velocity. For instance, the findings show that higher temperatures, radius to thickness ratio and porosity would decrease wave frequencies. Moreover, wave number has positive effect on values of wave frequency and phase velocity. Additionally, these outcomes prove the potential of metal foams in more efficient designs in sports equipment.