The friction-related component of a comprehensive slip-prediction model. II. Use of ratiometric analysis and thresholded dimensionless numbers

Abstract

For pt. I see ibid., p. 158-61 (1995). Falls rank with automobile and firearms as the leading generators of unintentional injury with direct morbidity and mortality costs. Falls are the leading cause of accident-caused mortality in senior citizens. Slips account for a plurality, if not a majority of falls. Heel slips, from which recovery can be difficult, account for the majority of slip-induced falls. To prevent slips, a comprehensive model for the prediction of slip mould be useful. A comprehensive slip-prediction model must consider both qualitative and quantitative factors. Friction alone may not completely predict pedestrian slip propensity or probability. Here, the authors apply ratiometric analysis of the friction parameters explored in pt. I to characterize the friction-related component of a comprehensive slip-prediction model. Subsequent investigation will require experiments to numerically characterize the factors discussed here.