Synthetic Surfaces
The origins of artificial turf lie in the United States of America. The first installation in the UK was in 1971 at Islington, London. There are several definitions of maintenance in various dictionaries, but they are all in a general context. To be more specific, the Sports Council/Hockey Association definition from their publication Artificial Turf Pitches for Hockey reads: Maintenance - Routine checks, cleaning and repairs carried out after construction which form part of the requirements of the original design This definition is very interesting, particularly the last section as it suggests the importance of maintenance on the overall success of the original design. Maintenance requirements must therefore be determined in the design phase, BEFORE construction has begun to allow for proper specifications and budgets to be drawn up. Is maintenance really necessary? The answer to this question is a resounding Yes! The problem is not that people think their surfaces are maintenance free (except a few), but it is what procedures to carry out and when. It is apparent that older areas usually have more problems both from an aesthetic and playing point of view. There may be several reasons for this, but incorrect or inappropriate maintenance programmes are definitely one of the reasons. Five, six or more years ago it was not always appreciated, nor were Groundsmen told what they might expect to do on the surface to maintain its quality. The advancement of surface technology means that all those involved with the installation and aftercare had to learn new skills and determine new maintenance programmes to optimise the performance of the surface. An outline of the programme to be followed is given here for your assistance. Routine Maintenance Chewing Gum Removal It is always a problem to remove a soft substance that is tacky from any surface. It is also annoying when it sticks to your sole. Chill or freeze the gum with ice or a hardening compound or aerosol and chip off the surface to remove. Litter/Debris Removal Many artificial turf surfaces are used not only by the owners but by clients hiring the facility, visiting teams, external leagues and competition organisers. It is very important that clients enjoy their experience on the surface and return if revenue is to be maintained. Presentation of the facility is therefore critical. Provision of adequate litter bins which are regularly emptied is essential. Line the bins to make emptying easier, and remove litter and debris from the entire surface area when required. Access, Entrance and Exit Gates It is without a doubt that facility installers and construction companies have given great thought to site access. However, many installations show symptoms of turf soiling. The problem is access, not just to the pitch or court, but to the general facility as suitable for foot traffic. Parks and large sports grounds sometimes allow clients to trample over muddy winter sports areas only to enter the artificial surface with the same footwear on. Gates and entrance doors are often restrictive in size. This may well be necessary for security reasons, particularly with public facilities. This point emphasises the need to give careful consideration to all aspects of the site in the planning stage. It is essential that scraper mats or grills sunk into concrete wells at the entrance area are built or placed in an area where they will be used. Regular cleaning out is necessary if it is to be effective and encourage players to use it. The height of fencing is also important in reducing the number of times players leave and return to the area. On some installations, ball boys have been known to wait around outside the fence in order to return stray shots. Maintenance Equipment On larger areas, a power unit of some sort will be required. It is critical that the unit is clean of debris, oil, grass clippings and mud before use on artificial turf. The unit should be specific to the artificial area which will help to keep it clean. A suitable access gate will allow the unit plus a mounted brush and/or collector on to the site quickly and safely. Compact tractors or utility vehicles should have turf type low ground pressure tyres on them. Three point linkage and PTO drives will have to be compatible with accessories. In the future there will be more machinery specifically designed for artificial turf maintenance rather than existing machine diversification. Footwear Ensure at all times that correct non-marking soles are worn. Cleated or ribbed soles on footwear as well as black marking soles can disfigure and damage the surface Preparing The Surface For Play
It is recognised that some form of brushing should take place on an artificial surface or surround. The reasons and objectives for specific brushing operations are often overlooked. Different brush types are suitable for different brushing operations - all should be carried out, but at different frequencies and in different situations and formats. Debris Removal from Surrounds, Footwells, Entrance Areas, etc. The good old stiff yard brush is best for this job. Surface traffic can be reduced by taking a wheelbarrow in which to collect the debris. The surface should be inspected daily for any debris and, if collected, removed from the area. Once per month sweep around the perimeter edge and footwells to stop any further accumulation. Footmark Removal and Redistribution of Surface Sand If the surface is used daily then there needs to be compromise between avoiding excessive surface wear by brushing and presenting the surface in an ideal format. Daily brushing of a polypropylene turf will exaggerate the wear of the fibres. The objective of this brushing operation is to remove surface disturbance and even out the surface sand grains - nothing else. There are many types of fixed or mounted brushes available. The bristles do not need to be particularly stiff as the surface sand should move easily even if damp. An alternative to the brush is an aluminium drag mat. Three times weekly will be adequate, passing in one direction. Remember the objective is minimal surface sand distribution only. Renovation
Fixed or mounted brushes may not achieve the penetration or disturbance required. Most sandfilled turf surfaces will benefit from renovation if executed correctly. Early equipment consisted of a contra-rotating head without a suitable debris collecting unit. Nowadays a pedestrian or ride-on contra rotating brush with debris collection and sand filtration unit is best. The objective of the operation being to remove, clean and replace sand infill whilst disturbing the pile fibre. Frequency will depend on the turf condition and hours of use. This equipment should be purchased at the time of installation for use as and when required. Over use of contra rotating brushes can exaggerate the wear on the turf fibre, which in turn can produce fine dust which slows down drainage and reduces the life span of the turf. Rejuvenation Rejuvenation is a last resort measure to replenish worn, tired, neglected turf to save on the cost of replacement. Unfortunately this has become necessary in some instances because of turf mismanagement. It differs from renovation because it may only be carried out once in the life of turf and specialist contractor operated equipment is used. Several types of machines are available on the market but the air pressure removal types seem to be most successful. The objective of the operation is to remove, filter, replace or redress sand, remove debris and moss plants and replenish turf fibres. A brush of some sort may be employed at some stage to redress or redistribute new or cleaned sand into the turf. Line Marking Any surface which is used for sport or leisure would normally be marked out, even if it is used for training or general play. Enterprising children will always find a way of utilising lines laid down. More often than not, pitch or court dimensions will be laid for two or three sports. The choice to be made is between in-laid lines, painted lines or a combination of both. Very careful consideration needs to be given before the final choice is made. Irrigation Sandfilled polypropylene surfaces need occasional water to settle down the infill in the turf. Fortunately, certain areas of the UK and Europe rarely need to apply this artificially as they receive adequate rainfall. Most areas are faced with pockets of dry weather throughout the summer when water application would be useful. It really does depend on the location and climate whether anything but a basic mobile sprinkler and hoseline can be justified. Weed Removal Weeds are unwanted vegetation which are present on the surface. Seedlings can be removed by hand but more established plants should be chemically controlled, especially deep rooted species. For this purpose weed wiper pens or blocks can be purchased. They are quick, easy and safe to use removing the need to store chemical concentrates and mix small quantities for a few weeds. The application and use of herbicides on an area provided for sport should be planned in advance to minimise risk. Professional herbicide use is governed by strict legislation made under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1974. All potential users of herbicides must be competent. Formal training and certification in the selection, use and application of chemicals is available through the National Proficiency Test Council. It is strongly recommended that all groundstaff be certificated and regularly updated with new developments. Moss and Algae Growth Control There are approximately 600 species of moss found in the UK, therefore it should not come as too much of a surprise to find them in a wide variety of situations including artificial turf. The fact is, mosses can grow and develop in shade, in full sun, on wet areas and on dry areas, and can adapt and develop on the many areas used for sport. Consideration should be given to the reasons why the plant has infested on to the artificial area. An appropriate routine maintenance programme will do a lot to suppress any moss activity, in particular regular agitation of the surface with a brush to keep the area open and breathing. If chemical control becomes necessary, previously stated legislation relevant to pesticide/herbicide use should be observed. Common products used to control moss include Dichlorophen, Ferrous Sulphate and Glyphosate. When the vegetation has died off physical removal can be carried out. If anything greater than spot treating and hand removal with a brush is required, a serious evaluation of maintenance operations needs to be undertaken. Adverse Weather Many considerations have to be taken into account before deciding if the surface should or should not be played on. Rain water will move rapidly through artificial turf if the surface is correctly designed, installed and maintained. If for some reason water holds on the surface, play should be temporarily postponed until it drains away. Adequate moisture reserves in the turf/sand layer will induce better playing characteristics. The sand layer will bed down, reducing movement and sand splash. Snow is not generally a problem in some parts of England, as the playing time lost due to snow cover is usually minimal. In Scotland and more Northern areas, removal of excessive layers of snow can be carried out by hand or with a ride-on snow plough. It is important that the blade used to push the snow is not in contact with the surface. Play can continue on the fine layer of snow which remains on the surface. A frozen or ice covered surface could be extremely dangerous to play on. In addition, a reduction in traction and grip will alter playing characteristics considerably. This may make a competitive game difficult to play. In order to make play possible, thawing agents may be employed. Options available include frost covers, often used on natural turf, these are lightweight covers which are pulled over the surface at night and removed in the morning. Alternatively, vacuum dried salt may be used. Always check that the material is suitable for application on an artificial surface. Apply the salt evenly to the entire playing area at a rate of 150-250g per sq.metre, depending on the likely severity of the frost. Rock salt should never be used because of the contaminants and fines that it contains. Problems With Older Surfaces Some artificial turf installations are over 15 years old and problems can be encountered as surfaces age. Polypropylene fibre used to manufacture artificial turf does not return to its original shape once it folds or destructures. For this reason the sand infill used to support the fibre in an upright position is critical particularly in the first few months of settlement. Regular distribution and topping up, as explained previously are essential in maintaining an upright pile. The effects of a folded pile can be seen immediately; the surface feels firmer under foot, the turf plays faster, and a reduction in both porosity and sand infill will be noticed. To counteract pile collapse, carry out routine brushing and renovation, top up the sand when necessary and, if justified, rejuvenate the surface. Over time, some degree of sand infill contamination will occur. This arises because of the many pollutants which surround or come into contact with the turf surface. Overhanging trees, buildings, atmospheric pollutants, polypropylene dust, debris, soil and litter can all contaminate the sand infill. Routine mounted brushing can control debris levels on the surface, but may force small pollutants into the sand infill. Renovation procedures are therefore required to remove, clean and filter some of the sand from the pile and return it. This operation replenishes porosity and improves playing characteristics, surface quality and appearance. There is much more to be learnt about sand filled synthetic turf surfaces in the future as they continue to develop and improve with new technology. However, in the meantime, regular maintenance will ensure the best possible playing conditions and prevent major problems later Third Generation (3G) Synthetic Pitches by David Harrison, Export Manager, SISIS Equipment Ltd The latest type of synthetic pitch is the Third Generation (3G). These have now attained the level of performance that is providing a real alternative to natural grass in many instances and the debate is now to what level should they be used. One thing is for sure - they are here to stay. However claims that 3G pitches, like their forerunners, are no-maintenance are quite untrue. Synthetic pitches are low-maintenance NOT no-maintenance! Rubber-crumb filled 3G pitches need regular brushing to keep the infill material mobile. With intensive use, just like their natural turf cousins, they will get compacted. This will affect water infiltration rates, and associated problems may occur. Surface water, moss and algae on the surface will make the pitch dangerous and slippy. Over a relatively short period, infill material will migrate away from the high-intensity play areas such as goal-mouths and centre circles, leaving fibres exposed and prone to damage. Regular brushing will re-distribute material to low level areas and keep the pile even and consistent throughout the pitch. Surface debris can be both unsightly and potentially dangerous, and must be removed regularly - without removing the infill from the pitch! Some instances are:
1)Wind blown debris. Leaves, twigs and litter are often blown onto the pitch and if not removed may decay and infiltrate and contaminate the infill. This may in turf add to the problems mentioned above of moss, algae and slippy, dangerous surfaces.
2)Debris thrown from the crowd. Flares, fireworks, cigarette butts and other missiles thrown during games are potentially dangerous. There has been at least one instance of a pitch catching fire during a match! 3)Chewing gum and spit from players is both unhygienic and unsightly and more of a problem on a synthetic pitch than on a natural one - especially on indoor pitches. Pitches may need to be sprayed with detergent and antiseptics to combat this problem. 4)Synthetic pitches are also more affected by bird droppings than natural pitches, especially when birds roost in overhanging stands. 5)While considered all-weather, synthetic pitches are still affected by snow and ice. Snow cannot be scraped off the pitches successfully, as it often pulls out the infill material. Maintenance of synthetic pitches To-date, there has been no official criteria set down for maintenance of synthetic pitches. It is still too early to have gained sufficient experience and documented evidence. However, many influential groundsmen do have sufficient experience to have expressed their views on just what should be done with good effect. 1)Brushing is definitely the key. On rubber crumb infill, a more aggressive brush is necessary, with a powered version the preferred option. On average, a pitch should be brushed lightly after every 8-10 hours of play, and more aggressively at least after every 40 hours of use.
2)Collection of surface debris is essential, and should be done before it becomes unsightly or has time to infiltrate the surface.
3)Infill levels should be maintained, and may need to be top-dressed with the relevant infill material periodically. Failure to do so could cause damage to exposed fibres, with the only solution to cut them out and to replace them. A costly option!
Maintenance of synthetic pitches is simple but essential, and should be carried out from the onset. Do not wait for the problems to arise.No responsibility is accepted by SISIS for the information contained in this article. SISIS machinery is designed, patented and manufactured in UK Copyright SISIS EQUIPMENT (Macclesfield) LTD. SISIS equipment is used at many of the worlds top sporting venues, including St.Andrews, Turnberry, Wimbledon, Ascot, Guards Polo Club, Parc de Prince in Paris, King Fahd Stadium, Saudi Arabia, Pebble Beach in the USA. Some of the most popular machinery recommended by SISIS for the maintenance of sand-filled and rubber crumb synthetic turf:
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