Worn region size of shoe outsole impacts human slips: Testing a mechanistic model

Shoe outsole tread wear has been shown to increase slip risk by reducing the tread’s ability to channel fluid away from the shoe-floor interface. This study establishes a connection between geometric features of the worn region size and slipping. A mechanistic pathway that describes the relationship...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of biomechanics 2020-05, Vol.105, p.109797-109797, Article 109797
Main Authors: Sundaram, Vani H., Hemler, Sarah L., Chanda, Arnab, Haight, Joel M., Redfern, Mark S., Beschorner, Kurt E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accidental Falls
Bearings
Coefficient of friction
Correlation
Floors and Floorcoverings
Fluid pressure
Footwear
Friction
Friction reduction
Humans
Hydrodynamic lubrication
Hypotheses
Pressure
Risk assessment
Sensors
Shoes
Shoes & boots
Slip
Slips, trips, and falls
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Summary:Shoe outsole tread wear has been shown to increase slip risk by reducing the tread’s ability to channel fluid away from the shoe-floor interface. This study establishes a connection between geometric features of the worn region size and slipping. A mechanistic pathway that describes the relationship between the worn region size and slip risk is assessed. Specifically, it is hypothesized that an increased worn region size leads to an increase in under-shoe fluid pressure, which reduces friction, and subsequently increases slipping. The worn region size, fluid pressure, and slip outcome were recorded for 57 participants, who were exposed to an unexpected slip condition. Shoes were collected from each participant and the available coefficient of friction (ACOF) was measured using a tribometer. A greater shoe worn region size was associated with increased slip occurrence. Specifically, a 1 mm increase in the characteristic length of the worn region (geometric mean of its width and length) was associated with an increase in slip risk of ~10%. Fluid pressure and ACOF results supported the mechanistic model: an increase in worn region size correlated with an increase in peak fluid pressure; peak fluid pressures negatively correlated with ACOF; and increased ACOF correlated with decreased slip risk. This finding supports the use of worn region size as a metric to assess the risk of slipping.
ISSN:0021-9290
1873-2380
DOI:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2020.109797