The project requires the investigation and construction methods of new materials for goalkeeper gloves. Our team proposes the use of replaceable, sacrificial pads placed over the wear areas of the gloves to enable multi-season use. The mechanical engineering was in charge of testing some current glove samples, as well as testing the replaceable pads produced by the material science engineering team. These tests include a normal impact wear test, a shear impact wear test, and finally a grip test. The normal impact was conducted using an actuator repeatedly impacting the sample, with a sensor attached to it in order to record the produced force throughout the test. The shear test involved the use of a turf sample rubbing against the replaceable pads. Doing so recreated the scenario of a goalkeeper getting up from the ground after a dive and recreating that gloves to turf contact. Finally, the grip test involved a soccer ball with a net around it. The samples were placed on either sides of the ball and weight was added to the net. The weight was recorded when the grip was loose and the ball fell. These tests were used as a confirmation that the proposed replaceable pads are indeed a solution to extend the lifespan of soccer gloves, while keeping a good grip and impact resistant material.

Our team collaborated with Materials Science & Engineering 1 on this project.