Acquisition of structural loads applied to a backcountry ski boot for the validation of bench tests

Engineering of Sport 15 - Proceedings from the 15th International Conference on the Engineering of Sport (ISEA 2024)

In the design of ski boot prototypes, two fundamental tests sessions are employed for assessing stiffness & strength. First, in laboratory ski boot bench testing the conventional Flex Index and fatigue life are determined; then, field tests give confirmation of boot performance and safety levels. Frequently, failures observed in the laboratory setting do not necessarily manifest during on-field trials, and vice versa. This adds complexity to the prototypes assessment process, leading to an undetermined overdesign of the ski boots as a precautionary measure. Consequently, a targeted study is needed to collect the field force system acting on ski boot components and to tune accordingly laboratory bench tests.