EXPERIMENTAL-ANALYSIS OF IMPACTS WITH LARGE ELASTIC-DEFORMATION .1. LINEAR MOTION

A measurement system is presented which uses a small number of sensors to capture relevant information by a limited number of measurements d uring a high-speed impact between two lightweight bodies. Two laser Do ppler vibrometers and a piezoelectric accelerometer are arranged to ca pture data from which the variation of deformations, velocities and fo rces over time during an impact can be determined. The golf club-ball impact is chosen as an example. Large elastic deformations are measure d on the golf ball during the impact and these can be related to the,v ariation of the impact force over time. This information leads to grea ter understanding of the relationship between two impacting bodies and can be used in the validation of analysis by techniques such as finit e element modelling.