Artificial Surfaces
Hockey and tennis require a faster surface
where it is needed the most, which is in and directly around the grass fibre tufts and inside the primary backing structure. Generally speaking, there are four main types of system than can apply to artificial turf products, which can be categorised as follows: - Fully synthetic - these systems tend to comprise straight and/or texturised yarns tufted into short, dense pile constructions and installed with a shock pad. These are non-infilled systems, and most systems utilise water within the turf structure for play performance and stabilisation. The most common use of these systems is for elite level hockey
- Sand dressed - this type of system tends to be adopted by education and community sectors due to its resilience, non-directional ball playing characteristics and the ability to play multiple sports codes on the surface. The turf construction tends to be a slightly less dense version of the fully synthetic turf constructions; however, a light dressing of sand is infilled into the pile in order to assist the surfaces stability. Most of these systems will also have a shock pad beneath the turf.
- Sand-filled - this type of system generally utilises less yarn in favour of additional infill, which creates an affordable system which can be used for a multitude of uses. With a medium density and pile height, these systems are filled with sand leaving only a very small amount of grass fibre exposed.
- 3G - the latest generation of artificial turf comprises a long pile and open construction of turf which utilises the advanced monofilament and fibrillated straight yarns. A combination of sand and rubber infills provide stability for the turf structure and the additional improvement of player/surface and ball/surface interaction.
Most artificial turf systems contain sand, which is used to keep the surface stable without adding too much additional cost for the investor. The sand is used to weigh the surface down to ensure it remains stable throughout its lifespan. With a number of the more modern 108 PC FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014
Sand dressed systems are ideal for community use
3G surfaces however, a rubber infill tends to be added to the system to enhance ball/surface and player/surface interaction - particularly when it comes to football and contact sports pitches. As an example, under FIFA requirements, a product test is required to determine the vertical bounce of the ball which must meet a certain height in order to pass. As a further example, under IRB regulation 22, the system must have and maintain a critical fall height value, which ensures safety for rugby players. These are two of the performance characteristics which can be affected, not only by the choice of yarn, primary backing, latex compound and application weights, but also the infill and shock pads. In other words, the whole turf system, engineered together deliver the desired performance results When it comes to comparing the
different systems available and assessing their costs, the pile weight is absolutely key. More yarn generally means a thicker, denser surface, which is likely to last longer, and offer better performance. Use of quality primary backings and latex compounds provide the backbone to the turf construction. It goes without saying that performance and longevity are both desirable benefits, but with those comes a cost implication, which is why the specific application and the hourly usage of the surface in question must be considered from the outset, to ensure the most appropriate yarn density and pile weight is selected.
The use of shock pads varies depending on the function of the system but, in certain sports, such as rugby, hockey and cross-code surfaces, it can be vital to the play performance and the safety of the surface. This is true, not only for the durability of the system, but also the long-term consistency of the ball/surface and player/surface interactions. There are many shock pad options available on the market and the addition of a shock pad will increase the project’s cost but, as long as the quality of the shock pad selected is considered, the pad will be re-useable if and when the turf
playing surface is replaced. The quality and consistency of the infill material is, again, a vital element to ensure the system performs to its potential during its lifetime. Poor quality infills can pose risks to the surface, players and the environment.
Laying the foundations for premium performance
As with the installation of any outdoor surface, the base construction is a vital component of a successful project. Base constructions sit underneath the shock pad (if one is being used) and effectively form the system foundations. There are two types of base construction used in artificial turf system construction - dynamic and engineered.
The most popular base construction
profiles we see in the UK are engineered bases. These consist of a predetermined unbound, compacted and porous stone layer. This layer is then capped with porous asphalt. It goes without saying that the average rainfall in the UK tends to exceed that of our European counterparts, so it is imperative that a porous base is used, to ensure drainage is as effective as possible.
The other factor which plays an important part in UK construction work is the number of standards and regulations we are required to meet. With this in mind, we need to ensure we engineer stable base constructions in order to maintain a level of surface consistency during and after the installation. In applications such as hockey and tennis, the tolerances of the finished base is vital and the surface must be smooth and consist; use of porous asphalt allows the pitch builder to achieve these vital conditions. Dynamic base constructions again use
a predetermined unbound, compacted and porous stone layer. However, a porous asphalt capping layer is not applied. This arrangement can often prove cheaper than the engineered equivalent but, in most cases, this system proves more challenging to achieve the desired surface tolerances and smoothness required in sports such as tennis and hockey. The use of dynamic
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