Footwear Traction

This book discusses the science of footwear traction and its relationship with slips and falls. It presents a detailed introduction to slips and falls and how crucial footwear traction is to avoid such incidents. The book covers ergonomics involved in the development of tread designs and the study of their effect on traction across footwear and systematically modified shoes. It discusses characterization techniques employed in the study of footwear traction across normal gait activities, such as walking and running and in sports, such as sprinting, basketball, and football. The book also covers the role of flooring and slippery contaminants on footwear traction and its generalizability. Additionally, the book also presents how the wear of footwear outsoles may reduce the traction at the shoe-floor and lead to slips and falls. It also discusses the challenges with the existing footwear traction testing methods, and the latest developments in this niche area are highlighted. The book is a valuable reference for researchers and professionals interested in ergonomics, footwear technology, manufacturing engineering, safety engineering, and design engineering and its allied fields.