Footfall Deflection of Antifatigue Flooring During Simulated Human Stance

Abstract

This study quantified the effect of compression load and duration on the deflection of five separate antifatigue flooring surfaces. Following standardized measurement of A Shore hardness, each sample underwent simulated single-leg stance indentation procedures that differed by compression load (45.3 kg, 90.7 kg, 136.1 kg) and duration (initial = 2.5 s, intermediate = 6.25 s, final = 12.5 s). Vertical deflection was compared across conditions, and the relationship between A Shore hardness and deflection was characterized. When compressed with 45.3 kg, deflection was not influenced by duration, but at 136 kg, deflection differed between durations by up to 15%. The relationship between A Shore hardness and deflection was characterized by a third-order polynomial function (R2 > 0.991).