Monday, March 16, 2009

Features Of Synthetic Sports Fields

Gone are those days when games like football, hockey, tennis, netball, basketball, and many more outdoor sports could be played only on natural grass surfaces. The advances made in the field of science and technology have redefined the playing surfaces for many of the outdoor sports. An artificial sports field is an example of the contribution of technology to sports.

An Artificial Turf or sports field is a man-made playing surface made from synthetic materials. Offering the same playing characteristics as that of natural grass playing fields, these synthetic surfaces are usable all year round. So, now whether it is a long dry summer or frozen winter or water-logged sport pitches, you will not miss your favourite match. Also, they require minimum maintenance which helps in reducing the annual outlay of the managing authorities on their maintenance.

A synthetic sports surface usually features grass-like filament made from polypropylene or polyethylene, that can be sand (or rubber) in-filled or sand-dressed. Some synthetic pitches do not use sand filled fibres, instead, they are sprayed with water and are known as “water-based” pitches. These pitches are extremely soft and offer protection to players by reducing the abrasive effect caused by the use of sand. These sports fields are ideal for playing hockey. However, it is also quite safe to play on the latest sand-dressed or sand filled sports pitches, as they feature a “shock pad” just below the top ‘grassy’ layer.

The height of the fibres and the level of the sand-fillings can differ depending on the specifications of various sports. For instance, an artificial sports field constructed for hockey should have shorter pile when compared to a synthetic soccer field. Also, some artificial pitches are used for Multi Use Games Areas, where a variety of sports can be played.

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