Friction and Wear in Footwear

At the convergence of biomechanics, tribology, and safety engineering, this book ‘Friction and Wear in Footwear’ explores how friction and wear jointly govern footwear performance, safety, and durability. Addressing slips and falls, one of the leading causes of injuries worldwide, this book highlights wear as a critical, time-dependent factor that alters frictional behavior and increases slip risk over a footwear’s lifecycle.   The book examines outsole degradation, tread pattern evolution, and material fatigue, focusing on how wear progressively reduces traction. It integrates experimental and computational approaches, including studies on worn footwear, coefficient of friction measurements, biofidelic and robotic slip testing devices, and advanced simulation frameworks. These insights are applied to healthcare, occupational safety, and performance footwear design, emphasizing the need for wear-based evaluation and innovation. This book covers slips and falls, gait biomechanics, advanced slip testing technologies, outsole tread modifications, and frameworks for assessing worn footwear friction. It concludes with emerging trends focused on designing for wear resilience and long-term safety. This book is essential for footwear designers, engineers, ergonomists, and researchers aiming to develop safer, durable, and performance-optimized footwear solutions.