The development and validation of a performance infill tracking system to investigate rotational traction mechanisms on artificial turf surfaces

Abstract

Abstract The scientific principles governing the generation of rotational traction forces on artificial turf remain poorly understood; as such, a photogrammetry technique has been developed to understand the interactions occurring at the boot-surface interface. Videos were recorded through a transparent test foot during rotational traction testing on an artificial turf surface “seeded” with distinguishable performance infill particles. A novel particle tracking software then measured the movement of seeded particles. To determine the uncertainty in the methodology, a gold-standard measurement system determined the distances between 28 fiducial markers. The same marker-to-marker distances were measured using the particle tracking software. For ten static and ten rotating trials, the random bias in the particle tracking software distances was ± 0.89 mm to ± 1.07 mm, respectively. A pilot study on a third-generation artificial turf surface assessed the software’s ability to track infill particles during rotational traction testing. Trials were conducted at two normal loads; particle positions and angular displacements were successfully measured over 40° of rotation and synchronised with torque, angle, and vertical displacement data. A greater number of infill particles were lost during tracking at lower normal loads. This novel methodology represents a useful development in understanding the generation of traction forces, helping to inform future generations of artificial turf and studded footwear.