Browsing by Autor "Alejandra Polanco"

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Experimental assessment of the effect of cyclist’s posture on comfort during time-trial events on road cycling
(2023) Alejandra Polanco; Daniel R. Suárez; A. Doria; Luis Muñoz
Influence of Inertial Properties on the Comfort of Road Vehicles
(2011) Alejandra Polanco; Luis Muñoz
<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">In this paper the comfort sensitivity to the variation of the inertia parameters is studied. For the theoretical approach, two computational models that predict the comfort response of a vehicle are developed and verified. These models are used to study the effect of a change on the inertial properties of the car on its comfort response. The models are developed on a commercial multi-body package and also implementing handwritten equations with a numerical integration algorithm. The influence of the inertial properties on comfort is also experimentally studied. Both approaches use two different road patterns as input generating a roll and pitch excitation. An allowed uncertainty on the inertia properties is proposed, based on the sensitivity to those properties.</div></div>
Influence of the Chainring Geometry on the Critical Power of Recreational Cyclists
(2020) Orlando Acevedo; Luis Muñoz; Alejandra Polanco; Daniel R. Suárez
Abstract Science has come to a disagreement regarding the real effect that chainrings’ geometry has on cyclists’ performance. In this study, the influence of the use of a noncircular chainring on recreational cyclists’ performance is determined through experimental power delivery tests. A critical power model was used to estimate variations on cyclists’ performance. In addition, a new protocol for estimating critical power was proposed. Fourteen recreational cyclists (two females and twelve males) performed a series of self-paced constant-time tests with a circular and a noncircular (i.e., Osymetric) chainring during two different test sessions. Power output, cadence and time were registered to compute the critical power. According to the results of this study, it seems there is a change in the critical power of the majority of the recreational cyclists due to the use of a noncircular chainring. Thus, a performance improvement was obtained during long-endurance tests. However, the order of the tests (i.e., starting with the circular chainring or starting with the noncircular chainring) was proven to have an impact on the results due to a familiarization effect to the test conditions. Finally, a new protocol to estimate the critical power of a cyclist by performing a single riding session was proposed and assessed on a pilot test (i.e., error &lt; 3%).