EP0093008B1 - Playing surfaces for sports - Google Patents

Playing surfaces for sports Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0093008B1
EP0093008B1 EP19830302330 EP83302330A EP0093008B1 EP 0093008 B1 EP0093008 B1 EP 0093008B1 EP 19830302330 EP19830302330 EP 19830302330 EP 83302330 A EP83302330 A EP 83302330A EP 0093008 B1 EP0093008 B1 EP 0093008B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sheet
envelopes
envelope
resilient material
base material
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP19830302330
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
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EP0093008A1 (en
Inventor
Peter Leslie Kennan Dury
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
Original Assignee
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
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Application filed by NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL filed Critical NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
Priority to AT83302330T priority Critical patent/ATE15513T1/en
Publication of EP0093008A1 publication Critical patent/EP0093008A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01C—CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR
    • E01C13/00—Pavings or foundations specially adapted for playgrounds or sports grounds; Drainage, irrigation or heating of sports grounds
    • E01C13/04—Pavings made of prefabricated single units
    • E01C13/045—Pavings made of prefabricated single units the prefabricated single units consisting of or including bitumen, rubber or plastics
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01C—CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR
    • E01C13/00—Pavings or foundations specially adapted for playgrounds or sports grounds; Drainage, irrigation or heating of sports grounds
    • E01C13/02—Foundations, e.g. with drainage or heating arrangements
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01C—CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR
    • E01C13/00—Pavings or foundations specially adapted for playgrounds or sports grounds; Drainage, irrigation or heating of sports grounds
    • E01C13/08—Surfaces simulating grass ; Grass-grown sports grounds
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01C—CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR
    • E01C3/00—Foundations for pavings
    • E01C3/006—Foundations for pavings made of prefabricated single units

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a method of constructing a playing surface for sports and the like.
  • Synthetic turfs typically in the form of a resilient carpet formed from plastics materials such as polypropylene, have been developed. Synthetic turfs have heretofore been laid in the manner of a carpet, using a resilient underlay placed on a prepared surface such as concrete with suitable drainage. (cf. FR-A-2 112-547).
  • a problem experienced with such playing surfaces is that the playing characteristics of the surfaces are very different from convcentional turf, the ball in ball games bouncing faster and rolling differently.
  • the sheet of resilient material may be formed from rubber particles, such as comminuted used motor vehicle tyres, bonded together with a polymeric material.
  • the thickness of the sheet will depend on the game for which the surface is intended and the construction of the underlying envelopes and surface. A typical thickness would be 6 mm.
  • the sheet of resilient material may comprise dense expanded polyethylene.
  • a combination of the two types of resilient sheet material may be used, with either the bonded particulate rubber material or the polyethylene material lowermost according to the characteristics of the surface required.
  • a synthetic playing surface material such as a synthetic turf or a carpet material, may be placed on the resilient sheet or sheets, to simulate more closely a turf playing surface.
  • a synthetic playing surface material itself constitutes the resilients sheet material laid direct on the envelope or envelopes.
  • the thickness of the base material in the envelope or envelopes is in the range of 12 mm to 75 mm.
  • the thickness chosen will depend upon the characteristics desired.
  • the envelopes fitting together to form a continuous layer, the sheet of resilient material being placed on the continuous layer so formed.
  • the sizes of the envelopes preferably vary from 4 m wide x 20 m long in areas of less intense wear to 2 m wide x 7 m long in areas of high intensity wear.
  • the or each envelope may be sub-divided by the use of resiliently-compressible strips, e. g. of expanded plastics material, laid on to the lower layer of envelope material.
  • compositions for the base material are indicated in the following table
  • the characteristics of the base material may alternatively be modified by adding to the sand materials such as plastics foam chips or particles.
  • These envelopes may be formed of pairs of sheets of permeable fabric, pinned or glued or otherwise joined together at the edges. Different types of fabric may be used to form the upper and lower layers of the envelope.
  • the method of the invention produces a playing surface which avoids the maintenance requirements of conventional turf but which gives playing characteristics much closer to those achieved by conventional turf and which change with weather conditions in a similar manner to conventional turfs, but without the risk of degradation of the surface into mud, or ruts in very dry or very cold weather.
  • the ground 1 upon which the playing surface 2 is to be laid is first prepared, if not already adequately drained, by the installation of drainage channels or 3 filled with suitable permeable material and then levelled.
  • Envelopes 4 are prepared form sheets of a permeable glass fibre fabric, filled with the sand base material 5, and folded and pinned at the edges. At joins 6 between adjacent envelopes, the edge 7 of the first envelope 4a is left free of sand and is pinned or nailed to the ground using corrosion-resistant nails 8 of suitable length. The second envelope 4b is then positioned over the thin edge portion 7.
  • the composition of the sand base materials is chosen from the range of compositions set out hereinbefore in the Table, for winter games pitches.
  • An underlay 9, comprising a mat of polmer bonded rubber particles, is then laid on top of the envelopes and suitably secured, e. g. by nails or pins at the edges thereof, and the synthetic turf 10 can then be laid on the, underlay 9 in the conventional manner.
  • the surfaces illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 are modified to suit summer games such as cricket or tennis.
  • the sand base material 5 is chosen from a range of compositions in the second part of the Table hereinbefore.
  • the synthetic turf is replaced by a layer 20 of a dense polyethylene foam with a thickness of about 5 mm and a density of 175 kg/m 3 .
  • This layer 20 serves to reduce the degree of bounce of a ball striking the suface, and is in itself known for such applications.
  • the surface illustrated is identical to that of Figure 2, but has a layer of synthetic turf placed on the foam layer 20.

Description

  • This invention relates to a method of constructing a playing surface for sports and the like.
  • Because of the problems of maintaining in good condition traditional grass or turf playing surfaces for such sports as soccer, cricket and tennis, especially when the surfaces are subject to frequent use during periods of excessively high or low rainfall, synthetic turfs, typically in the form of a resilient carpet formed from plastics materials such as polypropylene, have been developed. Synthetic turfs have heretofore been laid in the manner of a carpet, using a resilient underlay placed on a prepared surface such as concrete with suitable drainage. (cf. FR-A-2 112-547). A problem experienced with such playing surfaces is that the playing characteristics of the surfaces are very different from convcentional turf, the ball in ball games bouncing faster and rolling differently.
  • According to the present invention there is provided a method of constructing a playing surface for sports and the like, characterised by the steps of:
    • (A) laying on a drained or water-permeable surface at least one envelope formed of a flexible water-permeable material and containing an unbonded base material comprising sand; and
    • (B) placing on the envelope or envelopes a sheet of a resilient material.
  • The sheet of resilient material may be formed from rubber particles, such as comminuted used motor vehicle tyres, bonded together with a polymeric material. The thickness of the sheet will depend on the game for which the surface is intended and the construction of the underlying envelopes and surface. A typical thickness would be 6 mm.
  • Alternatively, the sheet of resilient material may comprise dense expanded polyethylene. A combination of the two types of resilient sheet material may be used, with either the bonded particulate rubber material or the polyethylene material lowermost according to the characteristics of the surface required. A synthetic playing surface material, such as a synthetic turf or a carpet material, may be placed on the resilient sheet or sheets, to simulate more closely a turf playing surface. In one embodiment of the invention a synthetic playing surface material itself constitutes the resilients sheet material laid direct on the envelope or envelopes.
  • Preferably, the thickness of the base material in the envelope or envelopes is in the range of 12 mm to 75 mm. The thickness chosen will depend upon the characteristics desired. Preferably, especially for surfaces other than for cricket a plurality of envelopes is used, the envelopes fitting together to form a continuous layer, the sheet of resilient material being placed on the continuous layer so formed. The sizes of the envelopes preferably vary from 4 m wide x 20 m long in areas of less intense wear to 2 m wide x 7 m long in areas of high intensity wear. The or each envelope may be sub-divided by the use of resiliently-compressible strips, e. g. of expanded plastics material, laid on to the lower layer of envelope material.
  • Suitable ranges of compositions for the base material are indicated in the following table
    Figure imgb0001
  • The characteristics of the base material may alternatively be modified by adding to the sand materials such as plastics foam chips or particles. These envelopes may be formed of pairs of sheets of permeable fabric, pinned or glued or otherwise joined together at the edges. Different types of fabric may be used to form the upper and lower layers of the envelope.
  • The method of the invention produces a playing surface which avoids the maintenance requirements of conventional turf but which gives playing characteristics much closer to those achieved by conventional turf and which change with weather conditions in a similar manner to conventional turfs, but without the risk of degradation of the surface into mud, or ruts in very dry or very cold weather.
  • Reference is made to the drawings, in which:
    • Figure 1 is a sectional view of a playing surface suitable for winter games; and
    • Figures 2 and 3 are sectional views of playing surfaces similar to that shown in Figure 1, but modified to produce characteristics suitable for cricket or tennis.
  • Referring first to Figure 1, the ground 1 upon which the playing surface 2 is to be laid is first prepared, if not already adequately drained, by the installation of drainage channels or 3 filled with suitable permeable material and then levelled.
  • Envelopes 4 are prepared form sheets of a permeable glass fibre fabric, filled with the sand base material 5, and folded and pinned at the edges. At joins 6 between adjacent envelopes, the edge 7 of the first envelope 4a is left free of sand and is pinned or nailed to the ground using corrosion-resistant nails 8 of suitable length. The second envelope 4b is then positioned over the thin edge portion 7. The composition of the sand base materials is chosen from the range of compositions set out hereinbefore in the Table, for winter games pitches. An underlay 9, comprising a mat of polmer bonded rubber particles, is then laid on top of the envelopes and suitably secured, e. g. by nails or pins at the edges thereof, and the synthetic turf 10 can then be laid on the, underlay 9 in the conventional manner.
  • The surfaces illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 are modified to suit summer games such as cricket or tennis. The sand base material 5 is chosen from a range of compositions in the second part of the Table hereinbefore. In the surface illustrated in Figure 2, the synthetic turf is replaced by a layer 20 of a dense polyethylene foam with a thickness of about 5 mm and a density of 175 kg/m3. This layer 20 serves to reduce the degree of bounce of a ball striking the suface, and is in itself known for such applications. In Figure 3, the surface illustrated is identical to that of Figure 2, but has a layer of synthetic turf placed on the foam layer 20.

Claims (10)

1. A method of constructing a playing surface for sports and the like, characterised by the steps of:
(A) laying on a drained or water-permeable surface (1) at least one envelope (4) formed of a flexible water-permeable material and containing an unbonded base material (5) comprising sand; and
(B) placing on to the envelope or envelopes a sheet (9) of a resilient material.
2. A method according to Claim 1, characterised in that step (A) comprises laying a plurality of the envelopes so that the envelopes butt together to form a continuous layer.
3. A method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the sheet of resilient material is formed from rubber particles bonded together.
4. A method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the sheet of resilient material comprises dense expanded polyethylene.
5. A method according to any preceding claim, characterised in that a second sheet (20) of resilient material is placed on the first sheet of resilient material, the second sheet having a different stiffness and/or resilience from the first.
6. A method according to any preceding claim, characterised by laying on to the resilient material a synthetic playing surface material (10) such as synthetic turf or carpet material.
7. A method according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the thickness of the base material in the envelope or envelopes is from 12 mm to 75 mm.
8. A method according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the sizes of the envelopes are from 2 m wide and 7 m long to 4 m wide and 20 m long.
9. A method according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the base material also contains gravel.
10. A method according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the base material also contains clay.
EP19830302330 1982-04-27 1983-04-25 Playing surfaces for sports Expired EP0093008B1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT83302330T ATE15513T1 (en) 1982-04-27 1983-04-25 SPORTS PLAYGROUNDS.

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8212124 1982-04-27
GB8212124 1982-04-27
GB8220789 1982-07-17
GB8220789 1982-07-17

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0093008A1 EP0093008A1 (en) 1983-11-02
EP0093008B1 true EP0093008B1 (en) 1985-09-11

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19830302330 Expired EP0093008B1 (en) 1982-04-27 1983-04-25 Playing surfaces for sports

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0093008B1 (en)
AU (1) AU559949B2 (en)
CA (1) CA1202991A (en)
DE (1) DE3360770D1 (en)
ES (1) ES8403999A1 (en)
NZ (1) NZ203964A (en)

Families Citing this family (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB8709054D0 (en) * 1987-04-15 1987-05-20 Cambridge Soil Services Ltd Artificial playing surface
WO1989001076A1 (en) * 1987-07-23 1989-02-09 Noel Peter John Mogford Turf surfaces
AU660100B2 (en) * 1992-07-21 1995-06-08 Hockey Albury-Wodonga Incorporated Synthetic surface
GB2308569A (en) * 1995-12-23 1997-07-02 Rawson Carpets Ltd Sporting surface
GB2311730B (en) * 1996-04-04 1999-07-07 Peter Dury Synthetic turf cricket pitch
GB2396117B (en) * 2002-12-14 2006-06-28 Nottinghamshire Sports And Saf Improvements relating to the construction of playing surfaces
DK1767697T3 (en) * 2005-09-22 2009-03-30 Mondo Spa Floor material, methods of making and laying this
NL2008291C2 (en) 2011-07-13 2013-05-08 Desso Sports Systems N V SUPPORT FOR AN ARTIFICIAL GRASS FIELD.
NL2014271B1 (en) 2015-02-10 2016-10-13 Desso Sports B V Substructure for an artificial grass field.

Family Cites Families (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL6513549A (en) * 1965-10-20 1967-04-21
US3418897A (en) * 1967-06-12 1968-12-31 Robert A.R. Humalainen Artificial playing surface
NL7013084A (en) * 1970-09-03 1972-03-07
US4007307A (en) * 1970-10-17 1977-02-08 J. F. Adolff Ag Artificial lawn
JPS548014B1 (en) * 1970-11-09 1979-04-12
FR2318285A1 (en) * 1975-07-18 1977-02-11 Fries Gustave Insulated concrete floor block - has lower structural concrete base with insulating layer and top layer of concrete screed
US4044179A (en) * 1975-11-18 1977-08-23 Mod-Sod Sport Surfaces Playing surface for athletic games
DE2710578A1 (en) * 1977-03-11 1978-09-14 Lothar Bestmann Elastic red gravel sports area or path - comprises elastic layer and covering mat below red gravel coating
DE7720993U1 (en) * 1977-07-05 1977-10-20 Fa. Carl Freudenberg, 6940 Weinheim Self-laying base plate
DE2819252C2 (en) * 1978-05-02 1984-08-23 Schmidt, Bernhard L., New York, N.Y. Ceiling for sports and play facilities
BE873556A (en) * 1979-01-18 1979-07-18 Verbeeck Pierre DEVICE FOR REINFORCING AND / OR SUPPORTING MOVABLE MASSES AND PROCEDURE FOR REALIZING IT
FR2461063A1 (en) * 1979-07-13 1981-01-30 Chevreau Claude Universal artificial sports ground floor - has textile layer between top and water deflecting layers
DE8112126U1 (en) * 1981-04-23 1982-10-07 J.F. Adolff Ag, 7150 Backnang Mat, especially as a sub-layer for an artificial lawn

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE3360770D1 (en) 1985-10-17
ES521856A0 (en) 1984-04-01
ES8403999A1 (en) 1984-04-01
EP0093008A1 (en) 1983-11-02
CA1202991A (en) 1986-04-08
NZ203964A (en) 1985-04-30
AU1392883A (en) 1983-11-03
AU559949B2 (en) 1987-03-26

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