The validation of a performance infill tracking system for artificial turf

Engineering of Sport 15 - Proceedings from the 15th International Conference on the Engineering of Sport (ISEA 2024)

Rotational traction research commonly focusses on manipulating variables at the boot/surface interface and analysing the subsequent effect on the peak torque. This approach neglects to understand the underlying processes, termed mechanisms, which control the mobilisation of traction forces. The main issue when investigating traction mechanisms is the difficulty in directly observing the interaction between boot and surface. Particle tracking velocimetry (PTV) has used low-cost cameras such as GoPro’s to determine the trajectories and velocities of particles in geotechnical and fluid mechanics studies. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a novel performance infill tracking system used to investigate the mechanisms of traction on artificial turf surfaces.