Abstract
Skateboards have been used as a means of transportation and extreme sports for decades. The forensic analysis of skateboard-related accidents requires knowledge of the kinematic characteristics of the skater-skateboard and skateboard-ground interactions to aid in the investigative process.
Much of the existing skateboard research has focused on the motion of the skater-skateboard system. Few studies have investigated the interactions of the skateboard and the ground surface. The velocities and accelerations of a skateboard/skater system is not well defined in literature. A skateboard’s rolling resistance has also not been defined. Therefore, this study was conducted to describe the effect of rider mass and wheel bearing resistance on the rolling resistance of a skateboard.
Understanding the dynamics of the skateboard and rider in relation to rolling resistance is critical to an investigator attempting to determine the behavior of a skateboard when reconstructing a skateboard related incident. In addition, the data that will be presented in this study is beneficial to a wide audience including, but not limited to; traffic safety, accident reconstruction, skateboard design, bearing design and useful life, and wheel design and useful life.
