The compression effect on aerodynamic properties of sports fabrics

Generally, the surface textures of the sport fabrics influence the aerodynamic properties of the athletes in motion. On the other hand, the surface texture of sports garments largely depends on the applied stress while wearing. Therefore, the fitting of garments on athlete bodies can make the aerodynamic behaviour more complex. Additionally, the fabric at an appropriate level of stretching can provide an aerodynamic advantage. The primary objective of this study was to measure the aerodynamic properties of three commercially available sport fabrics using a standard cylinder methodology over a range of Reynolds numbers and stretch conditions alone with microscopic analysis. The results indicated that the surface texture of the fabric was changed under different stretched levels and these changes in the surface texture had a notable effect on the aerodynamic drag. The surface texture of fabrics caused transitional effect at lower speeds compared to the smooth bare cylinder providing almost 30% drag reduction.