Advanced composites laboratories will develop an improved mountaineering ski for military use. We will incorporate the best of downhill ski technology with the best of telemark and mountaineering ski technology to produce a ski for the us marine corps which will meet the requirements of the marine corps topics n86-13. We will use advanced composite materials to allow us to provide a high performance ski with the lightest possible weight and unsurpassable durability. ACL will use modern techniques of dynamic modal analysis to assist us in achieving the desired ski dynamics. We will investigate the use of a variety of dynamic tuning systems, including on-ski tuning points, center ribbed ski's and vibration absorbing damping systems. ACL will also determine which base material and base pattern will meet the usmc requirements for a waxless ski. Positive base patterns, fibrillar base patterns and negative base patterns will reevaluated for noise, grip, glide and durability. If commercially available materials are not suitable, we will develop a suitable base using our advanced polymer technology. A ski compatible with the usmc vapor barrier boot with a length between 140 and 180 cm will be designed and a prototype will be fabricated and tested.
