Sports Testing 202: Vertical Ball Rebound Requirements and Considerations
Note: This post was first published on LinkedIn™ . I chose to write this article before completing the introductory series on sport surface testing because ball rebound or dead-spots are the number one reason ASET Services conducts field testing on indoor courts. While I’m trying to keep these posts direct and brief this is a […]
Sports Surface Testing 102: Vertical Ball Rebound
This is the second article in a series that will explain the most commonly used methods to evaluate sport surfaces. This article outlines the methods used to evaluate the Vertical Ball Rebound properties of a sport surface.This method is valid in both laboratory and field settings. It is utilized for the sports of basketball, field […]
Sports Surface Testing 101: Force Reduction
This is the first article in a series that will explain the most commonly used methods to evaluate sport surfaces. This article outlines the methods used to evaluate the Force Reduction properties of a sport surface. The method is non-destructive and is valid for both lab and field testing. Variations are used to test virtually […]
Hazards on hardwood courts: Player gets impaled with splinter
I just saw a headline about a young student athlete that was impaled with a splinter. Here is a link to that article. The author describes it as a freak accident. The truth is hardwood courts require attention and when dangerous situations occur they need to be fixed. I was involved as an expert witness […]
ANSI E1.26: Dance Floor Performance
The tests and methods used to evaluate the performance of dance surfaces are similar to those used to evaluate sports surfaces, however the dancers and athletes have different preferences regarding how the surface responds. It is for this reason that I developed this brief summary of dance performance standards. I have been involved in testing […]
Indoor Courts: Reasons they may not perform to specified levels
During the past 3 years we’ve tested 16 new hardwood sports surfaces, none of them have fully met the specified performance levels. Throughout our involvement in sport and play surfacing we’ve encountered several indoor surfaces that failed to perform to specified levels. Regardless of the performance levels you select and the standard you choose to […]
DIN 180320-2, MFMA PUR ™, ASTM F2772 & EN 14904 Field Testing
This is a short post about our experience of field testing eight newly installed floors. These floors were specified to meet DIN 18032-2, and the owner/architect took the extra step of requiring that they deliver these performance levels to their installations, by requiring the installations met many of the requirements in DIN 18032-2 (2001). Background: […]
GMax and HIC: Considerations for New Installations
With regard to new playground safety surfacing and synthetic turf fields, we are often asked: “What should the Gmax and HIC levels be at installation?” ASTM F1292 requires a Gmax levels to be less than or equal to 200, and HIC levels to be less than or equal to 1000. This requirement is applicable through […]
Playground Safety Requires Maintaining the Surface
Above Left: Engineered Wood Fiber Safety Surface (less than 1 month in use), Above Right: Poured In Place Safety Surface (3 years old) All playground safety surfaces have their benefits, and none are without faults. Owners often forget that they need to maintain them in order for them to properly protect the children using them. […]
Effort to reduce Gmax in ASTM F1292: Formally Withdrawn May 2015
For several years, there has been active movement to reduce the Gmax level allowed in ASTM’s F1292 standard for Playground Surfacing. The most recent effort attempted to reduce the allowable Gmax levels. This most recent effort received enough negative votes during the balloting process that the item was removed from consideration. What does that mean? […]