Tribological aspects of ballroom dance as a human activity with energy consumption analysis

Abstract

Tribology phenomena are obviously present and have significant importance in most of human activities, processes and actions. This paper presents an attempt in this direction dealing with study of tribology aspects in ballroom dancing. Analysing a couple of Standard and Latin ballroom dances, idea is to make approximate calculation of friction forces and torques and their influence on foot floor interface. Authors take Viennese waltz with couple of other typical dances, where the concept and methodology of friction calculation has been performed. Besides the approximate calculation of friction, this paper attends to measure and analyse complete energy consumption during the dance as a human activity. This has been done by making several experiments where total energy loss in ballroom dance used to be measured. In combination with friction loss calculations, those experiments reach some conclusions, among others that impact of friction losses in total energy consumption is not dominant for quick dances. This topic could be interesting for some further investigations such also for floors and shoes manufacturers aimed to make an optimum product for requested activity. Clear objective is to reduce energy consumption from the one side, but also to prevent possible undesirable slips from the other.