Artificial Turf

The increased number of players and hours on a sports field coupled with differing climactic conditions around the world have led sport organizations to focus on alternate options. Artificial Turf has provided a durable surface that can be utilized in all-weather conditions since the 1960's. As the Artificial Turf industry has matured, so have the technological advances in the products. Each technological advance has added features to benefit the buyers of Artificial Turf. For instance, in the 1970's, polypropylene fibrillated fibers were introduced to reduce skin abrasion compared to the original nylon-based product. Then in the 1980's sand-filled systems were introduced which greatly reduced the costs. In the 1990's rubber-infill systems solved hardening issues with sand and provided additional shock absorbency. During the past several years, infill-based artificial Turf systems generally feature excellent shock absorption and soft, polyethylene fibers that are UV resistant.

New Technology to Focus on Biomechanics Despite the introduction of infill-based Artificial Turf fields, athletes have still voiced preferences for natural Turf surfaces. Players have raised concerns about their interaction with the artificial surface and the behavior of the ball on the surface. These concerns include foot stability, slipping, early fatigue, injuries and unfavorable ball roll speeds. Due to feedback from athletes and trainers, sport organizations such as FIFA and UEFA have conducted extensive research on the biomechanical properties of natural Turf. Higher Standards through Research By better understanding the player and ball interaction with natural Turf, FIFA and UEFA have been able to establish newer and higher standards for Artificial Turf. These standards go beyond shock absorbency and traditional "carpet" specifications such as fiber weights, pile heights etc. The standards further encourage the Artificial Turf industry to develop systems that replicate the natural Turf experience.