The Open Mechanical Engineering Journal

The Open Mechanical Engineering Journal is an open access online journal, which publishes high quality research articles, reviews/mini-reviews, letters and guest edited single topic issues, in all important areas of mechanical engineering. The journal encourages submissions related to the following fields of mechanical engineering:

Hydromechanics, aerodynamics, thermodynamics
Principles of the micro-macro transition
Constitutive relations; and microstructure property relationships
Elastic behavior; plastic behavior; high-temperature creep, fatigue, and fracture
Mechanical behavior; environmental effects
Metals, polymers, ceramics, intermetallics
Machining; nonconventional machining, materials processing
Theory of machines and mechanisms, vibration and balancing of machine parts
Stability of mechanical systems, mechanics of continuum
Heat transfer
Thermo fluids and nanofluids
Other related areas

The Open Mechanical Engineering Journal, a peer-reviewed journal, is an important and reliable source of current information on recent developments in the field. The emphasis will be on publishing quality papers and making them rapidly and freely available to researchers worldwide.

Editor's Choice

Contribution of Bamboo for Vibratory Comfort in Biomechanics of Cycling

Xavier Chiementin, Samuel Crequy, Robin Feron, Marcela Munera, Ellie Abdi, Thomas Provot, Redha Taiar

Background:

Vibrations in cycling produced by road irregularities could cause health problems and affect the cyclist’s comfort and performance. Therefore researchers and manufacturers focus their efforts to reduce the vibrations.

Objective:

The agro materials appear to consume important properties which help in reducing the values of vibrations. This study offers a perspective on the agro materials’ contribution in the bicycle design.

Methods:

Three bicycle frames were compared in two situations: (i) real locomotion conditions at three speeds 15, 25, and 35 km/h on slightly grainy road with paved sector and bumps, and (ii) laboratory conditions on a vibrating platform with frequencies ranging between 20 and 80 Hz. The used frames’ materials were carbon, aluminum and agro materials (bamboo and flax).

The first protocol measured the effective values in four points of the bicycle (fork, stay, stem, and saddle) in real locomotion condition. The transmissibility was calculated between the input points of vibration and the output points in contact with the rider. The second protocol defined dynamic behavior of the three frames on a vibrating platform at the range of 20-80 Hz.

Results:

It was noted that the Root Mean Square values (RMS) were significantly higher with the agro materials in 44.4% of the cases and the values were significantly lower in 1 case (Road with 15km/h). The agro materials absorbed a significant part of vibrations in comparison to other materials (19.1%, 14.7%, and 17.2% for agro materials, aluminum, and carbon, respectively).

Conclusion:

Vibration comfort for cyclists is related to the choice of the frame. The contribution of relevant biomaterials can be relevant. Indeed, agro materials have remarkable properties for the absorption of vibrations.

September 30, 2017