Synthetic Turf Repairs Don’t Always Make the Field Better

I was recently conducting a field test and inspection of an 8 to 10 year old turf field. The field like many had been repaired several times during its life, and like many I suspect it was only ever tested two times in its life, the first when it was new and the second when […]

Sports Surface Testing 106: Rolling Load

This article provides owners and architects with a review of the Rolling Load testing that is included in EN 14904, as well as the legacy standard DIN 18032-2. These rolling load tests are both designed to determine how the sport surface reacts to a rolling load. Regardless of the standard, this test seeks to determine […]

ASTM to Publish Standard Method for Vertical Deformation and Area Deflection (F3248)

In November 2017, the Standard Method for Determining Vertical Deformation and Area Deflection of Area Elastic, Point Elastic, Combined Elastic and Mixed Elastic Sport and Dance Surfaces was approved. The new standard will be published in early 2018 and will be designated F3248 within ASTM.  The technical contact for the development of the standard was […]

6 Questions to consider when including friction levels in specifications.

I recently posted an article on friction/traction and there are at least 2 additional technical articles planned on that topic. I decided to write one more general article on friction. As a 3rd party lab we see specifications using a wide variety of friction standards used in product and project specifications. We get a few […]

Sports Surface Testing: An Introduction to Friction and Traction

If you’ve ever seen a sport surface specification, chances are that you’ve seen a line item in that specification for ‘Friction’, or ‘Surface Effect,’ or ‘Slip Resistance.’ It gets presented so cleanly and simply that it seems like that one number presents everything you need to know about the friction of that surface. The truth […]

A review of standards used to specify Indoor Sport Surfaces in North America

Note: In a recent article, a colleague commented that current test standards should be used in specifications. I developed this as a general overview of the standards that are commonly used within North America. It summarizes current standards and what I’d call ‘dead standards’ which have had their official status removed and are no longer […]

Sports Surface Testing 204: Area Deflection Requirements – Indoor Surfaces

(Warning this is a LONG post.) An earlier post (104) introduced the Area Deflection property of sports surfaces. This article delves deeper into that property and explores the requirements of some international standards, governing bodies, and trade associations. This paper focuses on area elastic indoor courts. Mixed and combination elastic courts will be covered in […]

Sports Surface Testing: 203 Vertical Deformation Requirement (Courts and Tracks)

An earlier post, “Sports Surface Testing: 103 introduced the Vertical Deformation property of a sports surface. This is a followup post that presents the requirements that various standards, governing bodies and trad associations put on this property. This document will not explain vertical deformation of synthetic turf as that test is significantly different. A future […]

Field Testing Catches Non-Compliant Gymnastic Surface

Indoor courts, running tracks and playground surfaces are often sold based on the performance of a single sample under laboratory settings. For countless reasons that sample may no longer accurately reflect the product being sold and installed. Without rigorous field testing to verify performance there is no way to know that your surface performs properly. […]