[Explanation] A set of devices called "dry snow magic carpet" by Winter Olympic athletes solves the problem that athletes cannot train in non-snow seasons.

Among them, an important part of the "dry snow magic carpet" - the dry snow landing slope, was developed by the research team of the Department of Mechanics of Northeastern University.

Project leader Professor Li Dong introduced that the dry snow landing slope is a new type of high imitation snow composite structure landing buffer area. .

Recently, the reporter came to Northeastern University to visit the research team.

  [Explanation] The dry snow landing slope is part of the key special projects of the Ministry of Science and Technology's key research and development plan "Science and Technology Winter Olympics".

Li Dong told reporters that when he first received the project, he was very excited and felt invisible pressure at the same time.

  [Concurrent] Li Dong, professor of Northeastern University and director of the Department of Mechanics, a doctoral tutor

  The so-called excitement is because we participated in the preparations or training for the 2022 Winter Olympics, and we can also do our part.

The complexity and pressure come from the literature we currently refer to for the design of this dry snow landing slope, including the early foundations, which are actually very few, so we have to start from scratch.

  [Commentary] Li Dong told reporters that in the past, athletes in non-snow seasons used to jump into the pool for landing training, and it was impossible to practice the smoothness of the landing, which would directly affect the athletes' scores and success or failure in the competition. The development of Landing Slope is precisely to solve this pain point.

  [Concurrent] Li Dong, professor of Northeastern University and director of the Department of Mechanics, a doctoral tutor

  Now we have replaced the pool with dry snow, so the similarity between dry snow and real snow is very high, which has the effect of a real training for athletes, which will improve the stability and success rate of their landing.

  [Explanation] In fact, as early as the 2020 snow season, the scientific research team in charge of Li Dong has already begun research on the project.

In order to study the performance of snow and make dry snow as close to the real snow as possible, the scientific research team moved the laboratory to the outdoors. In the Baiqingzhai Ski Resort of Shenyang Institute of Physical Education, artificial snow compression, heavy hammer and simulated dummy impact were carried out. Ejection and other experiments.

After thousands of experiments, through repeated trial and error, comparison, adjustment and optimization, the scientific research team gradually mastered the "power of snow".

  [Concurrent] Chi Weichao, Deputy Director of the Department of Mechanics, Lecturer, Northeastern University

  The instrument around me is an instrument that measures the constitutive relationship of real snow under quasi-static conditions. These two indenters slowly compress the snow during the experiment to measure the relationship between the stress and the strain of the snow. There is a relationship between them, and this curve is used to guide a structural design of our dry snow landing slope.

  [Concurrent] Li Dong, professor of Northeastern University and director of the Department of Mechanics, a doctoral tutor

  Because we're mostly filling the void in this part of the summer training, landing.

We have devoted a lot of time to the study of the mechanical properties of snow and our dry snow, so that the athlete's feeling after landing is as consistent as possible with the real snow. In this way, summer training and winter training will be very integrated.

  [Explanation] Li Dong introduced that the dry snow landing slope device after the research and development is completed will be completed and put into use in 2021 at the National Ski Jumping Training and Research Base in Laiyuan, Hebei.

On the eve of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, the national team athletes in the snow-advanced and potential-advanced events such as freestyle skiing aerial skills and freestyle ski jumping conducted summer training and warm-up matches on the dry snow landing slope.

  [Concurrent] Li Dong, professor of Northeastern University and director of the Department of Mechanics, a doctoral tutor

  What we value most is the feedback and experience of coaches and athletes, so during the implementation of this project, we have had many exchanges with coaches and athletes of the national team, including online and offline exchanges.

In the end, the feedback from the athletes and the coaches was very good, and we also achieved what we call 90% similarity on a technical level.

  [Explanation] At the Winter Olympics, the athletes independently trained by Shenyang Institute of Physical Education won two golds and one silver in the freestyle skiing aerial skills event.

Li Dong said that the dry snow landing has laid the foundation for Chinese athletes to achieve excellent results in the Beijing Winter Olympics, and he is very happy to be a participant to help the development of the Winter Olympics.

  [Concurrent] Li Dong, professor of Northeastern University and director of the Department of Mechanics, a doctoral tutor

  We were very excited when we saw this result, including family members and friends, they all sent me WeChat to congratulate me on this project (a good result). After all, we really did our part for the excellent results of the Winter Olympics. force.

  Reported by Wang Yilin in Shenyang

Responsible editor: [Luo Pan]