Abstract

Grass-like and other artificial recreational surfaces designed for sports use are described in terms of types, construction, materials and components, and performance characteristics. Also included are installation techniques and listings of current commercial products. For grass-like turf products the principal assembly techniques are tufting and knitting. Fiber-forming polymers such as polyolefins, polyamides, and polyesters processed to provide high strength combined with appropriate elongation are suitable materials for the turf surface and backing fibers. Other materials are utilized for backing finish, including acrylic, polyurethane, and vinyl polymers. Track surfaces, another important category of recreational surfaces, typically employ polyurethanes via pour-in-place techniques. Shock absorption and resiliency are important performance properties of recreational surfaces. High return of impact energy is desirable on track surfaces, whereas substantial hysteresis loss is needed with grass-like surfaces for safety under body impact. The turf surfaces typically are overlaid on a foamed elastomer underpad for this purpose. Artificial recreational surfaces were introduced in the early 1960s and remain important commercial products in the 1990s, represented by numerous manufacturers.