The dynamic impact characteristics of tennis balls with tennis rackets |
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| Authors: | SJ Haake MJ Carré SR Goodwill |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Mechanical Engineering , The University of Sheffield , Mappin Street, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK s.j.haake@shef.ac.uk;3. Department of Mechanical Engineering , The University of Sheffield , Mappin Street, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK |
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| Abstract: | Abstract The dynamic properties of six types of tennis balls were measured using a force platform and high-speed digital video images of ball impacts on rigidly clamped tennis rackets. It was found that the coefficient of restitution reduced with velocity for impacts on a rigid surface or with a rigidly clamped tennis racket. Pressurized balls had the highest coefficient of restitution, which decreased by 20% when punctured. Pressureless balls had a coefficient of restitution approaching that of a punctured ball at high speeds. The dynamic stiffness of the ball or the ball-racket system increased with velocity and pressurized balls had the highest stiffness, which decreased by 35% when punctured. The characteristics of pressureless balls were shown to be similar to those of punctured balls at high velocity and it was found that lowering the string tension produced a smaller range of stiffness or coefficient of restitution. It was hypothesized that players might consider high ball stiffness to imply a high coefficient of restitution. Plots of coefficient of restitution versus stiffness confirmed the relationship and it was found that, generally, pressurized balls had a higher coefficient of restitution and stiffness than pressureless balls. The players might perceive these parameters through a combination of sound, vibration and perception of ball speed off the racket. |
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| Keywords: | dynamic testing feel tennis tennis balls tennis rackets |
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