The purchase of a new artificial turf system TURF TACTICS

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1 The Dow Chemical Company offers advice on how to purchase an artificial turf pitch, looking at the decisions, components, and experts involved in such a sporting investment. TURF TACTICS The purchase of a new artificial turf system can be a complicated affair, with hundreds of variables and numerous decisions to be made. It is only natural that schools, municipalities, facility managers, and sports clubs should turn to experts such as sports engineers, manufacturers, architects and installers to help them through the process. This article summarises some of the decisions that need to be made, describes the components and materials that go into artificial turf, and points to experts and resources available enabling you to make a good investment that will pay dividends for your organisation, and your athletes, for the life of the turf. The first stage in installing an artificial turf field is to determine the performance needs of the playing surface. For example: What sports activities will you be focusing on? Will the pitch be used exclusively for football, soccer or rugby etc? The most likely scenario is that there will be a number of different sports, each with their own specific performance requirements and dimensions. Will there be non-sports events held as well, such as concerts or exhibitions? One of the primary reasons why an artificial turf system is so costeffective is that it can extend the playing or utilisation time of the field by a factor of four to five. The versatility to seamlessly host sporting and non-sporting events is another one of the key attractions of an artificial turf pitch. Unlike in the case of a natural grass field that can only be covered for a few days at a time, artificial turf can be covered from the sun virtually without harm, driven over and sometimes forced to endure a sustained weighted presence for long periods of time. SUMMER 2008 P ANS TADIA 84

2 What we strongly advise is that the client visits the pitches of various suppliers runs exercises on them, walks over them and takes note of what the turf is like after a number of Jim Perryman, Director of Operations, CMX Sports Engineers. years... Hosting events such as concerts and exhibitions can open up additional sources of revenue. It is important to answer these questions before meeting with an installer, as it will help ensure that the final pitch design and components are the right ones. The Decision-Making Process The role filled by the service providers in artificial turf can vary depending on who you work with. Some organisations can provide both engineering work and installation, as well as consult on what products should be used. Other organisations might only lay the artificial turf itself after another company has already performed the ground-work, i.e. installed the base with appropriate drainage. One of the first steps when contacting an architect or engineer or system installer is to find out exactly what services they provide. Although this can vary widely from region to region and project to project, a common model found both in the US and European artificial turf markets is that of one firm advising the facility owner during specification, bidding and project management, and another performing the ground-work and turf installation as per the budget and specification. In the case of installers, many of them are exclusive to one turf manufacturer or affiliated to a select few. For most installers a preferred pitch project includes the basework, as well as the installation of the artificial surface. While it may be cheaper to have the basework (i.e. levelling of the surface, layering of drainage materials etc.) done by a landscape firm, this may render your project less appealing and therefore receive less interest from installers to do the job. What we strongly advise is that the client visits the pitches of various suppliers runs exercises on them, walks over them and takes note of what the turf is like after a number of years, said Jim Perryman, Director of Operations at CMX Sports Engineers. Research is Key When visiting previously installed pitches, contact the person responsible, i.e. groundsman or Stadium Manager. This can be an invaluable source of information as you can discover what materials were used; if there was any premature wear due to maintenance issues; what the installer was like to work with; and if everything was completed on time and on budget. The installer is key to a successful pitch construction process so it is crucial to have confidence in them and their judgment. When it comes to selecting which artificial turf to use, we try to stay neutral. What we will do is make sure that the client is aware of the top, national companies, and we ll inform them on the different products [as per] the needs and turf types that match each sport, said Anthony Stevenson, Engineer at CMX Sports Engineers. There is the possibility that the installer may also have its own proprietary brand of artificial turf. In these SUMMER 2008 P ANS TADIA 85

3 Playing the Best Surface A one-of-a-kind pitch in Spain built for performance and endurance The artificial turf at Francisco Laporta stadium in Alcoy, Spain, is truly like no other. Developed in the spring of 2007, it is the first 100% Polyurethane-backed soccer pitch to be produced and installed in Spain. The result has been a playing surface that offers high-performance benefits throughout the value chain from the manufacturer to installers to end-users. The stadium consists of a full-size soccer pitch, a Five-A-Side soccer pitch, and an athletics track. It is the home of CD Alcoyano B (first regional division), and the Alcoyano First and Second League Youth Teams. Manufactured by local company, Doménech Hermanos, the innovative artificial turf system at Francisco Laporta was carefully selected for its strength and highperformance capabilities. Thanks to its strong, bi-dimensional stability, this artificial turf system is designed to be highly resistant to wear and tear. It also virtually eliminates the possibility of balloons of water accumulating under the pitch, thereby reducing construction problems. Chosen for its improved feel, this artificial turf was made with multidirectional fibre, with a denier value of 12,500 and height of 60+ millimetres. Plus it received a secondary backing made with ENFORCER Sport Polyurethane system from The Dow Chemical Company, which, at the time, could not be offered by any other manufacturer in the market. At the forefront of developing next generation artificial turf products, The Dow Chemical Company has designed its Polyurethane-backings to provide a host of high-performance benefits, including improved durability, strong tuft bind even when wet, and a stable, uniform playing field. With this pitch, we needed to achieve an artificial turf system that met the high demands of the stadium owners and players for a surface that would withstand aggressive wear and tear, explained Peter Mackey, European Business Development Manager for Polyurethane Carpet and Artificial Turf at The Dow Chemical Company. He continued: In addition, the Polyurethane technology offers the turf manufacturer a faster production process. ENFORCER Sport backing from Dow is designed to help create a whole new level of artificial turf that addresses today s extreme usage requirements, while allowing for a more efficient manufacturing and installation process. The Polyurethane backing is a very strong, yet light product, added Emilio Doménech, owner and CEO of Doménech Hermanos. It attaches to the turf fibres like no other secondary backing we ve worked with. It also proved to be easy to work with for the installation team based in Barcelona, Spain, as Doménech confirmed: We had only positive comments from the installers. The extending of the rolls, the cutting of edges and the gluing of joints was easier than with other turf systems. The combination of primary backing, yarn and secondary Polyurethane backing made this product wonderful, resulting in a pitch that has delighted both stadium owners and players. Although they ve had to adapt themselves somewhat to the new surface, the players have responded very positively to this artificial turf. In fact, they prefer this pitch with our turf product over another one installed in the same complex, but with a different make. For a town steeped in soccer tradition, this new artificial turf puts the Alcoy stadium way ahead of the game. The resulting pitch is both innovative and designed to stand the test of time. It s proof positive of Alcoy s love of the game and drive for a playing surface that is truly like no other. When it comes to selecting which artificial turf to use, we try to stay neutral. What we will do is make sure that the client is aware of the top, national companies, and we ll inform them on the different products [as per] the needs and turf types that match each Anthony Stevenson, Engineer, CMX Sports Engineers. sport... SUMMER 2008 P ANS TADIA 86

4 situations, first look at the quality of the turf and compare it with other options available before deciding whether or not to engage the company. As important as choosing the right architect or system installer, is choosing the right artificial turf product for your needs. Selecting the Right Components Selecting appropriate artificial turf components is vitally important, and the architect or engineer (or system installer) should be able to help with this. The yarn, the backing, the infill and the shock absorption layer can all be made from a variety of substances, in a number of shapes and colours, with different benefits and performance characteristics. Before we get into that, we will briefly discuss the four layers that go into artificial turf: THE INFILL: The infill granules can provide stability for the yarn and contribute to the energy absorption and ball surface interaction properties of the turf surface. A multitude of infill options are commercially available, ranging from Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPEs) and Thermoplastic Vulcanizates (TPVs), to material solutions with surface coatings in order to help get the right balance of performance properties. A good infill in an artificial grass system is vital to getting performance similar to natural turf. The materials should be safe and environmental-friendly, use prime raw materials that are recyclable, affordable, and possess the right performance characteristics, which include good energy absorption; excellent ultraviolet (UV) stability; wear resistance; and offer an odourless and dust-free environment for the players. THE YARN: The best known component of turf, and the one people most commonly come into contact with, is the yarn. The yarn is a collection of fibres designed to replicate grass. Technical advancements in raw materials and the types of yarn available have helped to create softer, safer and higher quality playing surfaces. Still, the right choice of yarn raw materials determines the look and durability of your pitch to a great extent. The result should be a product suitable for play at a professional level, one where players can safely slide, tackle and fall, and one that achieves a durable, consistent playing surface. THE BACKING: The backing can help the turf system to better withstand tough wear and tear with strong tuft TURF TACTICS SUMMER 2008 P ANS TADIA 87

5 TURF TACTICS bind and dimensional stability even in wet conditions. These attributes are vital to ensuring that the pitch delivers good performance and good durability. Backing can be made from Polyurethane or Latex. SHOCK ABSORBENCY & ENERGY RESTITUTION: Shock absorbency and energy restitution are vital aspects of artificial turf performance, and are provided by the shock absorbency components integrated into the granular infill or shock pads/underlays. Shockpads highly influence the energy absorption property of an artificial surface. In North America, artificial turf fields are typically tested for shock absorption by measuring Gmax readings in accordance with ASTM standards F355-A and F1936. Advice & Assistance Not only are there a myriad of options from each manufacturer for each one of these components, but it is also vital that the components be designed so they interact well with the appropriate performance criteria for the sports that will be played. The complexity is why it is so important to have an installer that you trust. But it is also good reason to do research on your own. There are numerous online resources to help you determine the quality of certain artificial pitches. Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) prescribes a set of standards that applies to football pitches, but could also be used for multi-purpose pitches. A pitch can earn either a 1- or 2-STAR certification. Similarly, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) governs the certification of artificial turf in the sport of hockey. The International Rugby Board (IRB) has recently adopted its own set of standards (regulation 22) but plans to update these, as testing methods and materials available improve. Concurrently, quality standardisation efforts for artificial turf are being pursued by the Synthetic Turf Council (STC) in the US and the European Synthetic Turf Organization (ESTO) in Europe. Once an installer and the appropriate artificial turf are selected, it s simply a matter of having everything put in place. According to FIFA, the typical time frame to convert an existing stadium s natural grass pitch to artificial turf is about sixteen weeks, including a couple of weeks for FIFA certification. That s a wait of less than four months to have a state-of-the-art playing surface that can accommodate numerous sports during all hours of the day, on a year-round basis. The Right Artificial Turf for your Venue One question the reader may have in mind at this point could be where to find an architect, engineer or system installer in their region. A supplier directory of this sort is available on many websites, such as SUMMER 2008 P ANS TADIA 88

6 PanStadia ( or Athletic Business ( There are also events organised by trade associations such as the European Stadium Managers Association, Stadium Managers Association, American Society of Landscape Architects, and Sports Turf Manager Association, to interact with peers, service providers and maintenance professionals. Lastly, it is important to note that an artificial turf pitch will perform to its full potential only with regular care and maintenance. Although artificial turf maintenance is not as intensive as for a natural grass surface, steps like brushing (static and/or powered), top-dressing, power washing, pest management, irrigation for playability, cooling and infill settlement, anti-static treatments, disinfectants, performance testing, infill replacement and general repair will help prolong the life of the system and enhance playability and safety. To learn more about the attributes of certain artificial turf components, the System Design Centre at: has useful information and criteria for information such as how quickly balls should roll, how high they should bounce, and how abrasive a certain surface can be. form nr SUMMER