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 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) w...已有研究证实，鞋外底胎面磨损会通过削弱胎面将流体从鞋-地面接触面导离的能力，进而提升滑倒风险。本研究明确了磨损区域尺寸的几何特征与滑倒事件之间的关联，并对阐释二者关系的机制通路进行了评估。具体而言，本研究提出假说：磨损区域尺寸增大将导致鞋下流体压力升高，进而降低摩擦力，最终加剧滑倒事件的发生。本研究针对57名遭遇突发滑倒工况的受试者开展试验，记录了其磨损区域尺寸、鞋下流体压力以及滑倒结局。研究人员收集了每位受试者的鞋具，并使用摩擦试验机（tribometer）测量了有效摩擦系数（available coefficient of friction, ACOF）。结果显示，鞋具磨损区域尺寸越大，滑倒发生概率越高。具体而言，磨损区域特征长度（即其宽度与长度的几何均值）每增加1毫米，w...