Comprehensive ice-hockey stick characterization from modal response and finite element model updating

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

Ice-hockey sticks endure a variety of complex dynamic loads and deformations during gameplay from puck impacts and shots. However, for simplicity purpose, previous studies often characterized sticks solely by their average shaft major bending stiffness. Under these conditions, understanding how the stick properties relate to on-ice performance and player feel remains challenging. A more comprehensive stick characterization that incorporates all relevant dynamical properties could enhance our understanding. To characterize hockey sticks in more detail, modal analysis and model updating was investigated in this work. Modal analysis examines natural frequencies and mode shapes, shedding light on dynamic behavior, while model updating refines a finite element model to reproduce the experimental data. These tools have been used successfully in other industries like aerospace and automobile, but remain underutilized in sports equipment design. The results shows that it is possible to identify the major and minor axis bending stiffness distributions, the mass distribution, and the torsional stiffness distribution along the full length of the stick (i.e., from the upper hand to the toes of the blade). By leveraging these techniques, this study aims to improve stick characterization and understanding, ultimately contributing to the development of improved hockey stick designs with enhanced player performance and experience.