Comparison of collision dynamics of soccer balls with energy dissipation method

This study aimed to understand the collision characteristics of different soccer balls by determining energy dissipation (ED) during collisions. Soccer balls from five different brands were kicked towards a framed tempered glass. The kicks were performed with the balls inflated under three inner pressure conditions. The motion of each ball was recorded using two high-speed cameras at 6000 Hz. The contact surface area (CSA), ball indentation amount (IA), reaction forces (RF) and energetic coefficient of restitution (CoR) during contact were calculated via image processing methods. A new methodological approach was developed to determine the ED during the collision (EDDC). The accuracy of the estimated RF was validated using force plate data, and the CSA values validated the calculated IA. The EDDC were then reduced to a single value to compare with the CoR values obtained using the traditional formula. Differences between CoR and EDDC were statistically tested. One-way ANOVA tests were performed separately to compare the effect of the ball brand on the IA and EDDC for each inner pressure condition. The CoR and EDDC showed no significant difference, proving that the developed method is a valid measure of ED. At 1.0 bar inner pressure, IA and EDDC showed significant differences according to the brands. EDDC, depending on the ball quality, decreased at higher inner pressure values regardless of the brand. Consequently, the present study exhibited that ball quality becomes a critical factor in collision dynamics at high inner pressure values, considering that ball inner pressure may vary between 0.6 and 1.0 bar in official soccer matches.