Effects of Tread Groove Design of Floor and Shoe Sole on the Slip Resistance at Footwear-Floor Interface

• Main Authors: Li-Wen Liu, 劉立文
• Other Authors: Chiuhsiang Joe Lin
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/er6ym4

博士 === 國立臺灣科技大學 === 工業管理系 === 102 === Slip and fall incidents are common both at work and in our daily life. The slip resistance between shoe sole and floor are the primary factor affecting the risk of slip and fall. Tread groove pattern on the shoe sole, contaminant on the floor, and slope of floor surface could all affect the slip resistance between shoe sole and floor. Balance of gait affects coefficient of friction at the footwear and floor interface. This study investigates the effects of tread grooves of both shoe sole and floor on the risk of slip and fall. Friction measurements were conducted to study the effects of shoe sole material, floor, contamination, and slope of the floor surface on the slip resistance of floor using the Brungraber Mark II slipmeter. The results showed that shoe sole material, floor, floor contamination, and slope of floor all affected the slip resistance of floor significantly (p<0.0001). On wet surfaces, the slip resistances of flat shoe soles were significantly higher than those of the treaded shoe soles. On oily surfaces, the flat shoe sole and flat floor combination had the lowest slip resistance. On both wet and oily surfaces, floors with tread grooves perpendicular to measurement direction had the highest slip resistance. A gait experiment was conducted under two shoe sole tread designs and three floor profile conditions. The subject walked on a walkway and stepped on a glycerol contaminated surface. The foot sliding condition was recorded. It was found that the friction coefficient at footwear-floor interface was the highest when both the shoe sole and floor had treads perpendicular to the walking direction. This condition was associated with short slip distance of the foot, and low slip percentage. The friction coefficient at footwear-floor interface was the lowest when both the shoe sole and floor had treads parallel to the walking direction. This condition was associated with long slip distance of the foot, and high slip percentage.