| The word Astroturf is rather loosely used to mean | | | | the fibres making the pitches flatter, thereby |
| any kind of synthetic grass. It was however, | | | | improving ball control. The problem of abrasion due to |
| invented and first used as a sports turf in the U.S.A | | | | the sand remained, making it unsuitable for sports |
| in the sixties. | | | | involving sliding tackles such as football. |
| Technology has moved on somewhat since then, and | | | | In the 1990s, technology made further advances |
| the synthetic grass or artificial turf available today | | | | leading to the development of what is known as |
| uses modern technology and is highly specialised. For | | | | ‘third generation’ artificial turf pitches. |
| instance, there are artificial turf pitches especially | | | | Significant improvements included the use of newer |
| designed for each of different kinds of sports such | | | | materials such as polymers like polyethylene, which is |
| as athletics, football, rugby, cricket, tennis and other | | | | softer and reduces the risk of ‘burn’ injuries. |
| outdoor sports. | | | | Characteristics of sports turf can be altered using |
| The need for artificial grass or artificial turf pitches | | | | fibres of different lengths, and tufted in varying |
| arose due problems associated with natural grass | | | | densities. Longer fibres tufted further apart, are |
| such as the high cost of maintenance especially in | | | | suited to games like football, allowing shoes with |
| long dry summers and difficult playing conditions in | | | | studs to sink into the surface easily. Shock pads, |
| winters such as frozen or soggy playing fields. | | | | which are installed under the synthetic surface, |
| The first artificial grass pitch for professional sport | | | | provide particular characteristics to the sports pitch. |
| was laid in the Houston Astrodome (USA), in 1965, | | | | Modern artificial turf pitches may be ‘unfilled’ |
| for baseball matches. The synthetic turf used was | | | | or water-based, making it fast and suitable for sports |
| made from nylon fibres. | | | | such as hockey. ‘Sand dressed’ and |
| The idea was to create a surface that mimicked the | | | | ‘sand filled’ pitches vary in the depth of |
| characteristics of natural grass – so it needed to | | | | sand used as infill in the carpet pile, where sand |
| look like and feel like grass, whilst eliminating the | | | | dressed pitches are harder and slower. The use of |
| problems associated with natural grass. However, | | | | rubber crumb along with sand as infill materials |
| over time problems emerged such as abrasion injuries | | | | provides better cushioning, thus minimising the risk of |
| to players, uneven bounce of the ball and fading of | | | | injuries to joints. Modern pitches also incorporate a |
| the synthetic turf. | | | | drainage system to eliminate the problem of flooding |
| In the 1970s, the technology improved and the new | | | | during wet weather. |
| artificial turf had longer fibres with sand used to fill in | | | | |