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Wave drag on human swimmers.

Ross Vennell1, Dave Pease, Barry Wilson

  • 1Department of Marine Science, University of Otago, 310 Castle Street, Dunedin, Otago 9001, New Zealand. rvennell@otago.ac.nz

Journal of Biomechanics
|January 28, 2006
PubMed
Summary
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Surface swimming incurs significantly higher drag due to wave formation. Reducing wave drag requires swimmers to maintain specific depths during underwater phases of starts and turns.

Area of Science:

  • Fluid dynamics
  • Biomechanics
  • Aquatic sports science

Background:

  • Surface swimming generates substantial wave drag, impacting overall performance.
  • Previous estimates of wave drag contribution have been significantly lower than observed.
  • Understanding drag forces is crucial for optimizing swimming techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify the contribution of wave drag to total drag in towed swimming.
  • To determine the critical depths and speeds at which wave drag becomes significant.
  • To provide practical recommendations for minimizing wave drag during starts and turns.

Main Methods:

  • Towed mannequin experiments were conducted at various speeds and depths.
  • Drag forces were measured using specialized equipment.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Wave drag was isolated and quantified as a component of total drag.

    • Main Results:

    • Total drag at the surface can be up to 2.4 times higher than when fully immersed.
    • Passive wave drag constitutes up to 50-60% of total drag at 1.7 m/s.
    • Wave drag is minimal (<5%) below 0.5-0.7m depth at typical swimming speeds.

    Conclusions:

    • Wave drag is a major factor in surface swimming performance.
    • Swimmers must maintain depths greater than 1.8-2.8 chest depths to minimize wave drag during starts and turns.
    • Optimizing underwater streamlining depth is essential for competitive swimming.