Krist S
As most are aware of artificial grass being used for a number of purposes, in gardens, parks and sports pitches- but how is it engineered? The engineering behind a sports pitch construction has been developed over a matter of decades, with many generations established. Some of these are 2G and 3G pitches, as well as a 4g pitch installation being the one still in development. Although this is the case, there’s still established layers of this kind of astro turf pitch construction which we’ll discuss here.
For sports to be played successfully and safely, whether for football, rugby or cricket, there’s several layers of a sports pitch construction which need laying. On the bottom, you’ll find well compacted ground which provides the basis for support for the layers above. This formation layer surrounds the drainage necessary for the 4g pitch installation functionally work. To protect the drainage system for a pitch, this is covered by a material called aggregate pipe bedding. These three things combined create the foundations of an artificial pitch, which would then be ready for the layers that come on top.
To cover the foundations to create an astro turf pitch construction , something called a geotextile membrane is required to cover it. Once this step has been complete, the sub base is constructed. In most instances when this is laid, it’s made from compacted stone and typically comes in small chunks to effectively be spread out evenly. Quite a lot of heavy machinery is required to carry out these processes mentioned above, which is why a reputable and experienced landscaper is needed to do the job successfully.
Once this stage has been completed, another levelling layer is needed for a sports pitch construction. Typically, the material to form this part can be porous bitmac or more stone, though this is cut into even finer pieces for easy to even out areas. This step is critical in the process, as no football, cricket or rugby club wants a pitch which has a slope. Following on from this, to ensure the safety of players during games a shock absorbing pad is a crucial factor. Having this layer in place is what defines a 4g pitch installation from typical artificial grass, and keeps players safe during games. The shock pad acts as a sort of cushion to any players taking a fall, as well as providing the necessary bounce for balls. If this layer didn’t exist, it’d be pretty difficult to play efficiently.
To fully complete an astro turf pitch construction, it needs the final layers which includes the synthetic turf fibres along with the infill bits. Clubs have a different choice of infills, with the most common being sand or rubber and it entirely depends on the sport being played with what gets used. For sports like hockey or cricket, sand is typically used as it provides a harder bounce. Whereas with rubber, this is usually used for football and rugby.
For years the above method for producing synthetic pitches has been used, though the quality of the materials and steps used has improved. With 3G pitches being the most popular pitch for sports clubs to opt for now, we wonder how the 4th generation will prove itself in future.
