Measurement of Coefficient of Friction Between Shoe Soles and
Common Flooring Materials Under Dry and Lubricated
Conditions Using the Inclined Plane Method
Introduction and Background
Friction is a contact force that arises whenever two surfaces are in contact and there is either relative
motion or a tendency of motion between them. It always acts in a direction opposite to the motion or
impending motion of the object. Friction plays a vital role in everyday human activities such as walking,
standing, braking vehicles, and preventing accidental slips and falls. Without friction, ordinary tasks
like holding objects, writing, or walking safely would be impossible.
In practical situations, friction between footwear and walking surfaces is particularly important for
safety. Many accidents in homes, workplaces, hospitals, and icy outdoor environments occur because of
reduced friction at the shoe–floor interface. Smooth surfaces such as polished tiles, metal, or ice can
significantly lower friction, especially when lubricants like water or oil are present.
From a physics perspective, friction is commonly classified into static friction, which prevents the
initiation of motion, and kinetic friction, which acts when surfaces slide relative to each other. The
ratio of the maximum static frictional force to the normal reaction between the surfaces is called the
coefficient of static friction (µs ), while the ratio of kinetic frictional force to the normal reaction is called
the coefficient of kinetic friction (µk ).
The present project focuses on experimentally determining the coefficient of friction between different
shoe sole materials—such as EVA, PU and PVC soles—and commonly used floor surfaces like tiles, wood,
metal, and ice, under both dry and lubricated conditions. The inclined plane method is employed to
verify the relation:
µ = tan θ
where θ is the angle at which slipping just begins.
Objectives of the Project
The objectives of this project are:
• To understand friction as a contact force and its importance in daily life.
• To measure the coefficient of static friction between different shoe sole materials and common
flooring surfaces.
• To study the effect of lubricants such as soapy water on friction.
• To compare friction values for dry and wet surfaces.
• To identify combinations that are more prone to slipping.
• To verify experimentally the relation µ = tan θ using the inclined plane method.
• To analyze how surface nature affects safety during walking.
• To relate experimental observations with microscopic theories of friction.
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Scope of the Study
This project is limited to:
• Experimental measurement of static friction between shoe soles and floor surfaces.
• Study under laboratory conditions suitable for undergraduate physics experiments.
• Comparison of dry and lubricated surfaces.
• Use of the inclined plane method only.
• Evaluation of short-term slip tendencies.
• Educational analysis of surface safety.
Factors such as walking dynamics, footwear wear, temperature variation, and long-term surface degra-
dation are not included.
Review of Literature
Classical friction laws formulated by Amontons and later extended by Coulomb state that:
1. Friction is proportional to the normal reaction between surfaces.
2. It is largely independent of the apparent area of contact.
These principles are widely discussed in physics literature and experimental studies of surface inter-
actions.
Experiments show that rubber-based materials generally have higher coefficients of friction than
leather or smooth synthetic soles, while polished tiles, metal, and ice exhibit much lower friction values.
Research also demonstrates that lubricants such as water or oil significantly reduce friction, thereby
increasing the risk of slipping accidents.
Microscopically, even smooth surfaces contain irregularities known as asperities. When two surfaces
touch, only small regions actually make contact. These micro-contacts deform under load and sometimes
adhere due to intermolecular forces, forming tiny junctions that must be broken during motion. This
process explains why friction depends on surface roughness, cleanliness, and contamination, as discussed
in tribology-based research.
Theoretical Background
Consider a shoe sole placed on an inclined plane that makes an angle θ with the horizontal.
The forces acting on the shoe sole are:
• Weight = mg
• Normal reaction = N = mg cos θ
• Frictional force = f acting up the plane
At the instant when slipping is about to begin:
f = µs N
Resolving forces along the plane:
mg sin θ = µs mg cos θ
Hence,
µs = tan θ
This relation forms the basis for experimentally determining the coefficient of static friction.
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Methodology (Experimental Procedure)
Apparatus Required
• Adjustable inclined plane.
• Shoe sole samples (EVA, PU and PVC).
• Floor surface sheets (Tile, Granite, Kota Stone, Wooden Floor, Marble and Ice slab).
• Protractor or angular scale.
• Soapy water as lubricant.
• Measuring ruler.
• Cleaning cloth.
Experimental Method
The inclined plane method is used.
1. A shoe sole sample is placed on a chosen floor surface fixed to the plane.
2. The plane is slowly raised until the sole just begins to slide.
3. The angle θ is calculated by measuring the perpendicular and the base distance.
4. The coefficient of friction is calculated using:
µ = tan θ
5. The experiment is repeated three times for accuracy.
6. Average values are recorded.
7. The same procedure is performed after applying soapy water to the surface.
8. Observations are compared between dry and lubricated conditions.
Observations and Data Analysis
For each combination of shoe sole material and floor surface, the inclined plane was gradually raised
until slipping just began. The angle of inclination θ was noted and the coefficient of static friction was
calculated using:
µ = tan θ
Each reading was taken three times to reduce experimental error, and the average value was calcu-
lated. The procedure was repeated for both dry and lubricated (soapy water) conditions.
Sample Observation Table (Dry Surface)