油で汚れた床面の滑りやすさ予測精度を向上 (Slick Science)

2026-06-01 ピッツバーグ大学

米国ピッツバーグ大学スワンソン工学部の研究チームは、油で汚染された床面における靴と床の摩擦を高精度で予測するモデルを検証し、その成果がASME Journal of Tribologyの2025 Best Paper Awardを受賞した。研究では、多重スケールのヒステリシス力学モデルを用いて、油膜が存在する環境下での靴底と床材の摩擦特性を解析した。3種類の靴と異なる表面仕上げを持つ10種類のタイルを対象に実験を行った結果、モデルが床面粗さや靴底材料の違いにかかわらず信頼性高く摩擦係数を予測できることを確認した。転倒事故は職場災害の主要因の一つであり、本研究により、靴メーカーは滑りにくい靴底材料の設計を効率化できるほか、床材メーカーも安全性の高い表面設計を進めることが可能になる。また、職場環境における転倒リスク評価や事故防止対策の高度化にも貢献する。研究成果は、汚染物質が摩擦に与える影響の理解を深め、安全性向上と製品開発の効率化に資する重要な知見を提供している。

<関連情報>

様々な仕上げの表面における油まみれの靴と床との摩擦を予測するためのマルチスケールヒステリシス力学モデルの検証 Validation of a Multiscale Hysteresis Mechanics Model in Predicting Oily Shoe-Floor Friction Across Surfaces With Varying Finishes

Henry Ing,Vimanyu Chadha,Anna B. Randolph,Ky Reifler,Tevis D.B. Jacobs,Kurt E. Beschorner
Journal of Tribology  Published:April 3, 2025
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4068109

油で汚れた床面の滑りやすさ予測精度を向上 (Slick Science)

Abstract

Shoe-floor friction, quantified by the coefficient of friction (COF), is an important predictor of the risk of slip-and-fall accidents. There is a commonly used model of friction by B. Persson that describes viscoelastic dissipation due to hysteretic properties of rubber. Applied to shoe-floor friction, the model calculates the COF by using two primary inputs: (1) the multiscale surface topography of floor tiles and (2) the time-dependent material properties of the shoe rubber. While this theory is well accepted by many theoreticians and modelers, there is almost no direct experimental validation. Here, the model is tested by comparing against experimental measurements of COF using three different designs of shoes, ten different porcelain-tile floors, and canola oil as a contaminant. The results demonstrated that, while the model was predictive of trends, its values were too large by an average of 1050% when all scales of topography were included. However, this predictive power was improved (⁠p < .0001, RMSerror= 0.066) when the range of size scales of topography was limited to exclude the smallest-scale topography features. Scientifically, these findings provide new insights about which length scales of topography are most relevant to performance under different conditions. For real-world application, these results show the potential of this model to be used by floor designers and engineers to develop or select materials to create slip-resistant shoes and flooring. This would then create safer workplace environments, decreasing the significant economic burden and human suffering caused by slip-and-fall accidents.

0102材料力学
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