The SU(3) running coupling from lattice gluons
  We provide numerical results for the running coupling in $SU(3)$ Yang-Mills theory as determined from an analysis of lattice two and three-point gluon correlation functions. The coupling is evaluated directly, from first principles, by defining suitable renormalisation constants from the lattice triple gluon vertex and gluon propagator. For momenta larger than 2 GeV, the coupling is found to run according to the 2-loop asymptotic formula. The influence of lattice artifacts on the results appears negligible within the precision of our measurements, although further work on this point is in progress. 
D.S. Henty and C. Parrinello