Understanding traction for sports shoe and surface combinations
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Sheffield
Department Name: Mechanical Engineering
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Matt Carre (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Damm L
(2013)
Biomechanical and mechanical testing of non-sliding and sliding tennis surfaces
in Footwear Science
Nunns MP
(2016)
Boot-insole effects on comfort and plantar loading at the heel and fifth metatarsal during running and turning in soccer.
in Journal of sports sciences
Nunns M
(2009)
Boot-insole effects on heel and fifth metatarsal loading for running and turning in soccer
in Footwear Science
Clarke J
(2013)
Combining mechanical and biomechanical testing to improve understanding of shoe-surface effects on traction
in Footwear Science
Goff J
(2017)
Critical shoe contact area ratio for sliding on a tennis hard court
in Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part P: Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology
Ura D
(2013)
Effect of shoe orientation on shoe-surface traction in tennis
in Footwear Science
Ura D
(2014)
Effect of Varying the Volume Infill Sand on Synthetic Clay Surfaces in Terms of the Shoe-surface Friction
in Procedia Engineering
Carré M
(2014)
Friction at the Tennis Shoe-court Interface: How Biomechanically Informed Lab-based Testing can Enhance Understanding
in Procedia Engineering
Ura D
(2014)
Influence of Clay Properties on Shoe-kinematics and Friction During Tennis Movements
in Procedia Engineering
Loic Damm (Co-Author)
(2011)
Modulation of tennis players? frictional demand according to surface traction characteristics
| Title | The Art of Engineering |
| Description | From July 2013 Bob Levene was the Artist in Residence in the Faculty of Engineering, university of Sheffield. She observed the work that goes on in the Faculty (including our work on tennis surfaces), exploring into the everyday practices of the researchers and getting to grips with the tools, processes and machines that are used. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2014 |
| Impact | She made a series of artworks based on the initial research, that were exhibited at Festival of the Mind 2014 in addition to other events and venues. |
| URL | http://www.boblevene.co.uk/index.php/about/ |
| Description | This project took a multidisciplinary approach to improving understanding of shoe-surface interaction, combining mechanical and biomechanical techniques. It aimed to improve the quality and safety of sports surfaces through an improved understanding of the factors associated with shoe-surface traction when performing on synthetic playing surfaces, with a specific focus on surfaces used in tennis. The level of traction between the shoe and surface is the most frequently cited factor influencing injury occurrence and player performance. For example, a high percentage of injuries requiring medical treatment have been attributed to uncontrolled slipping as a result of low traction. In addition, ankle inversion injuries and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears have been associated with a high level of traction between the shoe and the surface. This project addressed the problem of traction-related injuries in sport and exercise by considering the specific characteristics of shoes and surfaces that influence their translational and rotational traction behaviour under loads applied during sporting applications. To achieve this aim, a multidisciplinary approach was used. New mechanical test methods were developed to characterise playing surfaces, using biomechanical data to provide boundary conditions, the most useful being a bespoke lab-based traction rig capable of simulating shoe-surface interactions for a range of loading conditions. Engineering approaches have been used to determine specific material characteristics that influence the tribological mechanisms at play and consequent shoe traction behaviour. Human testing has been used to validate the results of mechanical tests and to investigate relationships between human biomechanics and perception and the material properties of tennis surfaces. |
| Exploitation Route | There is potential for public engagement projects due to the accessible topic of tennis and sport. Some press releases have been put out leading to media coverage. Findings have been disseminated to the relevant academic audiences through journal papers and conference presentations (see Research Outcomes). As well as improving understanding of the physical interaction between player-shoe combinations and sports surfaces, this work has the potential to lead to improving standard test procedures for sports surfaces, both integral to ensuring a high level of performance and comfort (to encourage participation), and reducing the likelihood of injury. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) have organised a collaborative study hosted by the LTA to combine biomechanical kinetic and kinematic data with surface testing methods developed during this study. This has led to a new PhD project, sponsored by the ITF to develop a new portable court test device. Further collaborations have also been fostered with the Health and Safety Laboratory, Buxton, to look at more general shoe-surface interactions and how they affect pedestrian movements (for instance an EPSRC proposal was developed for the Design for Wellbeing call - ageing and mobility in the built environment). Proof-of concept projects have also been carried out in collaboration with safety shoe and flooring manufacturers and we hope to apply the proven methodologies into the general fields of pedestrian safety and human-floor interactions, with potential to study falls in older populations. |
| Sectors | Healthcare |
| URL | http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/news/nr/slipping-sliding-tennis-success-study-1.502605 |
| Description | Findings have been disseminated to the relevant academic audiences through journal papers and conference presentations. As well as improving understanding of the physical interaction between player-shoe combinations and sports surfaces, this work has the potential to lead to improving standard test procedures for sports surfaces, both integral to ensuring a high level of performance and comfort (to encourage participation), and reducing the likelihood of injury. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) have organised a collaborative study hosted by the LTA to combine biomechanical kinetic and kinematic data with surface testing methods developed during this study. This has led to a new PhD project, sponsored by the ITF to develop a new portable court test device. Further collaborations have also been fostered with the Health and Safety Laboratory, Buxton, to look at more general shoe-surface interactions and how they affect pedestrian movements (for instance an EPSRC proposal was developed for the Design for Wellbeing call - ageing and mobility in the built environment). Proof-of concept projects have also been carried out in collaboration with safety shoe and flooring manufacturers and we hope to apply the proven methodologies into the general fields of pedestrian safety and human-floor interactions, with potential to study falls in older populations. EPSRC Impact Acceleration funding has since been used to develop a device to assess slip resistance of footwear. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2010 |
| Sector | Healthcare,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Other |
| Impact Types | Societal,Economic |
| Description | EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account |
| Amount | £11,559 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2015 |
| End | 09/2015 |
| Description | International Tennis Federation Ltd |
| Amount | £20,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | R/134318 |
| Organisation | International Tennis Federation |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2012 |
| End | 07/2015 |
| Description | International Tennis Federation Ltd |
| Amount | £20,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | R/134318 |
| Organisation | International Tennis Federation |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2012 |
| End | 09/2015 |
| Description | Knowledge Transfer Programme |
| Amount | £181,353 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 05/2015 |
| End | 04/2017 |
| Description | Part sponsored PhD as part of a CDT |
| Amount | £40,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | International Tennis Federation |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2017 |
| End | 09/2021 |
| Title | New shoe-surface interaction measurement device |
| Description | A new lab-based system for replicating the bio mechanical loads and movements during the critical part of a shoe-surface interaction (e.g. at the onset of slipping). this system has been used on a number of research projects since, in the area of sport, health and safety and pedestrian movement. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | It has been used as a benhcmarking lab-based device for other new portable devices to be developed. |
| Description | Collaborative projects with Health and Safety Laboratory, Buxton |
| Organisation | Health and Safety Laboratory |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Understanding of shoe-surface interactions and test devices developed during the study have led to collaborations with HSL, Buxton (part of the Health and Safety Executive) - linked in various ways to pedestrian slips and falls. Although projects are small at present, we are looking at way to scale them up into larger funded studies. |
| Start Year | 2010 |
| Description | PhD sponsored by ITF |
| Organisation | International Tennis Federation |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Through collaborating as part of the study, support for a funded PhD has been agreed by the ITF. The PhD that is planned will be to use understanding generated by the study to develop robust, portable test devices to predict the playing performance and safety of tennis surfaces. |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | Radio 5 live |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Radio appearance discussing tennis court slips - in response to press release on subject. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/news/nr/slipping-sliding-tennis-success-study-1.502605 |