EP3332066B1 - Sports pitch and method of constructing same - Google Patents
Sports pitch and method of constructing same Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP3332066B1 EP3332066B1 EP16747571.4A EP16747571A EP3332066B1 EP 3332066 B1 EP3332066 B1 EP 3332066B1 EP 16747571 A EP16747571 A EP 16747571A EP 3332066 B1 EP3332066 B1 EP 3332066B1
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- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- layer
- intermediate layer
- stones
- sports pitch
- impervious
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- 239000010410 layer Substances 0.000 claims description 230
- 239000006260 foam Substances 0.000 claims description 70
- 239000004575 stone Substances 0.000 claims description 44
- 239000002344 surface layer Substances 0.000 claims description 37
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 20
- -1 polypropylene Polymers 0.000 claims description 16
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- 238000005755 formation reaction Methods 0.000 claims description 14
- 239000004743 Polypropylene Substances 0.000 claims description 10
- 229920001155 polypropylene Polymers 0.000 claims description 10
- 239000002689 soil Substances 0.000 claims description 5
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- 230000033001 locomotion Effects 0.000 claims description 4
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- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 230000001788 irregular Effects 0.000 claims 1
- 230000003319 supportive effect Effects 0.000 description 41
- 239000011295 pitch Substances 0.000 description 39
- 244000025254 Cannabis sativa Species 0.000 description 11
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- 239000004698 Polyethylene Substances 0.000 description 5
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- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 4
- 229920001971 elastomer Polymers 0.000 description 4
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Images
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
- E01C13/08—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
- E01C11/00—Details of pavings
- E01C11/22—Gutters; Kerbs ; Surface drainage of streets, roads or like traffic areas
- E01C11/224—Surface drainage of streets
- E01C11/225—Paving specially adapted for through-the-surfacing drainage, e.g. perforated, porous; Preformed paving elements comprising, or adapted to form, passageways for carrying off drainage
-
- 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
- E01C3/00—Foundations for pavings
- E01C3/006—Foundations for pavings made of prefabricated single units
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B69/00—Training appliances or apparatus for special sports
- A63B69/36—Training appliances or apparatus for special sports for golf
- A63B69/3661—Mats for golf practice, e.g. mats having a simulated turf, a practice tee or a green area
-
- 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
- E01C2201/00—Paving elements
- E01C2201/14—Puzzle-like connections
-
- 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
- E01C2201/00—Paving elements
- E01C2201/20—Drainage details
- E01C2201/202—Horizontal drainage channels
- E01C2201/207—Horizontal drainage channels channels on the bottom
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
- E04B1/00—Constructions in general; Structures which are not restricted either to walls, e.g. partitions, or floors or ceilings or roofs
- E04B1/62—Insulation or other protection; Elements or use of specified material therefor
- E04B1/92—Protection against other undesired influences or dangers
- E04B1/98—Protection against other undesired influences or dangers against vibrations or shocks; against mechanical destruction, e.g. by air-raids
Definitions
- the invention relates to a sports pitch according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a method of constructing a sports pitch according to the preamble of claim 11.
- Natural grass pitches are expensive to maintain, and limit use of the pitch in inclement weather, becoming, for example, too muddy in heavy rain or too hard when the ground freezes. Natural grass pitches can also be very difficult to grow satisfactorily in partially or fully enclosed stadia. Examples of artificial playing surfaces are disclosed in EP 2154291 , US 2005/042394 , KR 100881167 , WO 9301356 , WO 2011036600 , KR 20120044788 and GB 2248024 .
- the original artificial pitches were found to be unsatisfactory. Their surfaces were harder than a grass surface, increasing the risk of injury and altering the dynamics of play in games like cricket.
- the abrasive artificial grass blades of artificial turf were painful to slide over, limiting their use for higher contact sports.
- An artificial playing surface typically comprises three key elements.
- a surface layer such as artificial turf rests on a layer providing performance regulation, which in turn sits on a layer providing stability.
- synthetic blades of grass are tufted into a backing fabric to form the artificial turf.
- An infill of sand and/or rubber is then placed between the synthetic blades. The infill keeps the blades upright, and provides suitable shock absorbency for the sport being played on the surface.
- a shock absorbing layer is placed underneath the synthetic grass layer, typically comprising rubber or closed-cell foam shock pads.
- a substantial stabilising layer is required to provide the necessary stability to ensure the surface layer can provide the desired performance characteristics.
- the stabilising layer is a thick layer of stones. A large area of ground must be excavated with a large volume of soil and earth being removed, which normally needs disposing of away from site. A large amount of stone is then put into the excavated space. This is an expensive process with a large carbon footprint.
- a stabilising layer which incorporates a Macadam layer on top of the thick layer of stones.
- Such pitches are sometimes referred to as 'engineered' systems.
- Laying the Macadam layer requires the use of specialist machinery. Accordingly, complexity, and time required to install the pitch may be increased.
- the specialist machinery may also be heavy and therefore any layer of stone must support the weight of the specialist machinery during construction.
- a sports pitch comprising a base layer, an intermediate layer, an impervious layer located between the intermediate layer and the base layer and a surface layer, wherein the base layer comprises stones and is up to 200mm thick, wherein the intermediate layer comprises or consists essentially of a foam layer comprising expanded polypropylene, and wherein the intermediate layer has a thickness of at least 40mm and up to 65mm and has a density of at least 30 grams per litre and up to 60 grams per litre.
- the required performance standard will depend on the intended use or uses of the playing surface, which may include one or more sports.
- the required performance standard may be governed by the guidelines, rules and/or regulations of one or more sports' organisations or governing bodies.
- the depth of the supportive base layer can be greatly reduced, requiring less excavation, less transporting of materials such as stone and spoil, and reducing installation times.
- the intermediate layer or foam layer comprises one or more energy dissipating formations.
- the energy dissipating formations may be configured to dissipate energy of an impact on the playing surface through deformation.
- the foam layer comprises a plurality of downwardly extending energy dissipating projections.
- the intermediate layer or foam layer may be formed of a plurality of tiles.
- the tiles may be placed adjacent to each other without interlocking, or may comprise a plurality of interlockable tiles, each tile having formations for cooperating with formations on the other tiles for interlocking the tiles together.
- the projections may deform into the spaces between the projections upon impact from the playing surface.
- Appropriately shaped and arranged projections can change the profile of how energy is dissipated, and so can allow the performance regulating ability of the intermediate layer or foam layer to be tuned for a given sport or activity on the playing surface.
- the top surface of the intermediate layer or foam layer may comprise a rough surface that contacts the surface layer to provide high frictional resistance to the relative movement between the top surface and surface layer.
- the surface layer may be adapted for the playing of a particular sport.
- the surface layer may be an artificial turf for playing traditionally grass-based sports such as football or rugby.
- the density of the intermediate layer may be up to 50 grams per litre.
- the density of the intermediate layer may be up to or at least 35 grams per litre and/or up to or at least 45 grams per litre.
- the density of the intermediate layer may be approximately 40 grams per litre.
- At least two of the plurality of projections may have a height of at least approximately 10mm, and preferably, the majority of the plurality of projections have a height of at least approximately 10mm. For example, at least two of the plurality of projections may have a height of approximately 15mm.
- the stones may be clean stones, without any dust on or between the stones. Alternatively, some or all of the stones may be dusty.
- Previous systems have required the supportive base layer to comprise clean stones to prevent frost heave.
- the reduced depth of supportive base layer allowed by the first aspect of the invention prevents the occurrence of frost heave, and so permits the use of dusty stones. Dusty stones do not require energy to be expended in cleaning the stones, and so may be cheaper than clean stones. Additionally, finer stones may be used than previously, which can provide increased stability.
- the supportive base layer may be between 100mm and 200mm thick.
- the supportive base layer may have a thickness of up to or at least 100mm, up to or at least 125mm, up to or at least 150mm, and/or up to or at least 175mm.
- the supportive base layer may be approximately 150mm thick. In previous systems, a much thicker base layer of approximately 300-350mm has typically been required.
- the intermediate layer or foam layer or each tile of the intermediate layer or foam layer may further comprise one or more holes configured to drain water away from the surface layer.
- the or each hole may extend from the top surface to the bottom surface of the intermediate layer or foam layer or each tile of the intermediate layer or foam layer.
- the impervious layer between the intermediate or foam layer and the supportive base layer prevents fluids draining from the surface layer from reaching the supportive base layer.
- Water may collect at the interface between the intermediate or foam layer and the impervious layer, and drain out of the edge of the pitch.
- the impervious layer may be configured to direct liquid to a preferred edge of the intermediate or foam layer. Water may be collected from the edge of the pitch by a drainage system, and may be recycled. This may be advantageous over previous inventions where water was drained through the supportive base layer into constructed drainage channels, or lost into the ground.
- the present invention may not require the construction of drainage channels and installation of pipes running under the pitch, thereby reducing installation times compared with previous pitch construction methods.
- the impervious layer may be up to or at least 0.5mm thick, up to or at least 0.75mm thick, up to or at least 1.0mm thick, up to or at least 1.25mm thick and/or up to or at least 1.5mm thick.
- the impervious layer may have a thickness between 0.75mm and 1.5mm.
- the impervious layer may be formed of an impervious membrane.
- the impervious layer may comprise a polymeric material, e.g. polyethylene or polypropylene.
- the impervious layer may comprise or be made of polyethylene or coated polypropylene.
- the supportive base layer may have a slight incline across at least a portion of its surface.
- the slight incline across the surface of the supportive base layer may be at least, up to or approximately 1%, at least, up to or approximately 3%, and/or at least, up to or approximately 5%.
- the playing surface may be configured such that the playing surface has a horizontal drainage flow capacity of 0.4 litres per metre per second (1/(m*s)) or more, 0.5 1/(m*s) or more, 0.6 1/(m*s) or more, 0.7 1/(m*s) or more, 0.8 1/(m*s), 0.9 1/(m*s) or more, or 1 1/(m*s) or more.
- a method of constructing a playing surface comprising the steps of: partially filling a vacant space to form a base layer; placing an impervious layer above the base layer; placing an intermediate layer above the impervious layer; and placing a surface layer above the intermediate layer; wherein the base layer comprises stones and is up to 200mm thick, wherein the intermediate layer comprises or consists essentially of a foam layer comprising expanded polypropylene, and wherein the intermediate layer has a thickness of at least 40 mm and up to 65 mm and has a density of at least 30 grams per litre and up to 60 grams per litre.
- the method may comprise the step of excavating a layer of soil to form the vacant space.
- the vacant space may have a depth of no more than 300 mm or no more than 250 mm.
- the intermediate layer or foam layer may comprise a top surface and a plurality of downwardly extending energy dissipating projections, wherein the plurality of projections are arranged to dissipate energy of an impact through deformation.
- Placing the foam layer may comprise placing a plurality of foam tiles, each tile comprising a top surface and a plurality of downwardly extending energy dissipating projections, wherein the plurality of projections are arranged to dissipate energy of an impact through deformation.
- Partially filling the vacant space may comprise partially filling the vacant space with stones, wherein the stones may be clean stones or dusty stones or a combination of both.
- the supportive base layer may be built with a slight incline across at least a portion of its surface.
- the method may further comprise the step of placing an impervious layer between the supportive base layer and the intermediate layer or foam layer, and optionally or additionally may comprise the step of providing a drainage system to collect fluid from the surface of the impervious layer.
- Figure 1 illustrates schematically a cross section of an embodiment of a playing surface 1, such as an artificial sports pitch, according to the invention.
- the term "playing surface” is widely used in the art, and is understood to mean the layer or layers, either natural or artificial, that provide the uppermost portion of the playing pitch, court or suchlike.
- the playing surface of the present invention comprises a supportive base layer 2, an intermediate layer 3 and a surface layer 4.
- the supportive base layer 2 is typically composed of stones. To build a playing surface according to conventional systems, a large volume of ground must first be excavated, producing a large amount of soil that must be removed from the site and disposed of. This process is both time-consuming and environmentally damaging. A large amount of stones must be brought to the site to fill the majority of the depth of the excavated hole. A thick stone layer is necessary to provide sufficient support and stability to the surface layer above, in particular a macadam layer and the laying of it with heavy, specialist machinery. Providing this large amount of stone is again time-consuming and environmentally damaging.
- This aim is achieved by providing an intermediate layer such as a foam layer 3 that is configured to provide both stability and performance regulation to the surface layer 4 above.
- the thickness of the supportive base layer 2 may be significantly reduced from approximately 300-350mm, as is typical in conventional playing surfaces, e.g. to about 150mm thick.
- Performance regulation is crucial to replicating the feel of a natural grass pitch, and to providing a playing surface that can absorb the impact of falls and minimise the risk of injury to players on playing surface.
- this has been provided by a regulation layer such as foam or shock pads.
- the regulation layer did not provide a supportive function, and so required a large stone supportive layer.
- the foam layer can provide both the necessary performance regulation and support to the surface layer above and the stability of the overall construction.
- the thickness of the supportive base layer may be greatly reduced, e.g. to around half or even a third, of the values typical in conventional playing surfaces.
- the foam layer 3 comprises a top surface 5 and a bottom surface 6.
- the top surface 5 may have a roughened texture to provide high frictional resistance to relative motion between the top surface 5 and the surface layer 4.
- a high resistance may prevent movement of the surface layer 4 during games played upon the surface layer 4.
- the bottom surface 6 comprises a plurality of energy dissipating projections 7 extending downwards away from the top layer.
- the plurality of projections 7 are arranged to dissipate energy of an impact through deformation.
- the projections 7 have a height that is less than the total thickness of the foam layer 3.
- the projections 7 are shaped (tapered) such that they are narrowest at their bottom-most part. Valleys 8 are formed between the projections 7.
- the projections 7 are dome shaped, however it will be understood that other shapes may be used for the projections 7.
- the shape of the projections 7 may be selected to provide the most suitable performance regulation to the surface layer 4 for the sport or game that is intended to be played upon the surface layer 4.
- the dome shaped projections 7 are arranged in a pseudo-hexagonal packing arrangement with each projection 7 being close to, but spaced from, adjacent projections 7. The spaces between the projections form part of the valleys 8.
- the foam layer 3 is formed of expanded polypropylene with a density of approximately 40 grams per litre. In other embodiments, the density of the foam layer 3 may be greater than about 30 grams per litre, or preferably, approximately 30 to 50 grams per litre, or approximately 30 to 60 grams per litre. Lower densities could be used, but generally cannot provide the performance regulation and stability required of the foam layer 3.
- foam layer 3 may be formed of other suitable materials, such as polyurethane, or expanded polyethylene.
- the foam layer 3 may have a thickness, defined from the top surface 5 to the bottom-most part of the bottom surface 6, of around 40 to 65mm. In the illustrated embodiment, the foam layer 3 has a thickness of approximately 55mm.
- the plurality of projections 7 have a height h of approximately 15mm, defined from the vertical position where the projection 6 is narrowest to the vertical position where the projection 6 is widest. In other embodiments, at least two of the plurality of projections may have a height of at least approximately 10mm, and preferably the majority of the plurality of projections 7 have a height of at least approximately 10mm. In a preferred embodiment, the majority of the plurality of projections have a height of approximately 15mm.
- the foam layer 3 illustrated in figure 2 may comprise a plurality of foam tiles, wherein each tile comprises a top surface 5 and a plurality of downwardly extending energy dissipating projections 7, the plurality of projections 7 being arranged to dissipate energy of an impact through deformation.
- Providing the foam layer 3 as a plurality of tiles may facilitate transportation and construction of the playing surface 1.
- the foam tiles may have any shape.
- the foam tiles may be substantially rectangular in shape, e.g. with lengths of at least 1100mm and/or to up to 1700mm, and widths of at least 800mm and/or up to 1300mm.
- the dimensions of the foam tile may be approximately 1200mm x 900mm. In an alternative embodiment, the dimensions of the foam tile may be approximately 1600mm x 1200mm.
- FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a preferred embodiment of a foam tile 9.
- tile 9 further comprises recesses 10 and protrusions 11. These formations are configured to cooperate with corresponding formations on adjacent tiles 9 in order to interlock adjacent tiles 9. Interlocking the tiles 9 may make foam layer 3 more stable.
- the tile 9 further comprises one or more holes 12 extending from the top surface 5 to the bottom surface 6 of the tile 9.
- each hole 12 may extend from the top surface 5 to a part of the bottom surface 6 that is between projections 7.
- the holes 12 allow water to drain from the surface layer 4 through to the bottom surface 6 of the foam layer 3. Adequate drainage is necessary to keep the surface layer 4 in a good condition.
- Holes 12 may be present in any other embodiment of the playing surface 1.
- Figure 3 shows six holes provided evenly across the extent of the tile 9, but it will be appreciated that any number (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more) may be provided.
- the hole(s) 12 may be of any size and shape, in any location, and arranged in any pattern as suits the requirement of the playing surface 1.
- the holes 12 may have a diameter of up to or at least 5mm, up to or at least 10mm or up to or at least 20mm. Typically, the holes may have a diameter of approximately 5mm.
- the tile may comprise up to or at least 10, up to or at least 20, up to or at least 30, up to or at least 40, and/or up to or at least 50 holes extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the tile.
- the tile may comprise 30 holes extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the tile, the holes being arranged in a five-by-six array.
- one or more additional foam layers 3 may be stacked on top of foam layer 3, to provide additional support.
- Tiles 9 may be stacked vertically stacked to produce such a stacking of foam layers 3.
- the surface layer 4 of a playing surface 1 may be any suitable surface for playing sports or games on, and may be adapted for the playing of a particular sport.
- surface layer 4 may comprise an artificial turf.
- the foam layer 3 may provide good thermal properties to minimise the effects of frost.
- the foam tiles of the present invention have equivalent thermal properties to a 1.7m-deep layer of stone or aggregate.
- the present invention also allows the use of stone with a finer content than in previous 'dynamic' systems, and a thinner depth of stone than 'engineered' systems. Finer stones provide even more stability, and so may allow the thickness of the supportive base layer 2 to be further reduced.
- FIG 4 schematically illustrates an alternative embodiment of a playing surface 13, configured to provide adequate drainage.
- Playing surface 13 comprises a supportive base layer 14, a foam layer 15 and a surface layer 16, as in the embodiment illustrated in figure 1 .
- Any of the different embodiments of the supportive base layer 2, foam layer 3 and surface layer 4 described above may be incorporated, alone or in combination, into playing surface 13.
- Playing surface 13 further comprises an impervious layer 17 between the foam layer 15 and the supportive base layer 14.
- Impervious layer 17 may collect water draining downwards from the surface layer 16, and prevent the water from entering the supportive base layer 14, as will be discussed in more detail below.
- the impervious layer 17 may be an impervious membrane.
- the impervious layer may comprise a polymeric material, e.g. polyethylene or polypropylene.
- the impervious layer may comprise or be made of polyethylene or coated polypropylene.
- foam layer 15 is comprised of the tiles 9 discussed above, each tile having a plurality of downwardly extending energy dissipating projections 7, and drainage holes 12. Water from the surface layer 16 may drain downwards through the holes 12 until it reaches impervious layer 17. The valleys 8 between the projections 7 form channels so that water may flow between the impervious layer 17 and the foam layer 15.
- drainage is provided by installing drainage pipes or channels under the supportive base layer of the playing surface to carry water to an appropriate outlet. Some water is also lost to the ground below the playing surfaces. This method requires additional deep excavation to house the drainage pipes.
- the impervious layer 17 may be configured to direct water to a preferred edge or edges or portion(s) thereof of the foam layer 15 so that uncertainty as to where water will drain from is removed.
- the supportive base layer 14 may be built with a slight incline across at least a portion of its surface, so that the impervious layer 17 is slightly inclined.
- the slight incline across the surface of the supportive base layer may be at least, up to or approximately 1%, at least, up to or approximately 3%, and/or at least, up to or approximately 5%. Water on the impervious layer 17 may thus be directed to the lowest part(s) of the impervious layer 17.
- the impervious layer 17 may be inclined by at least, up to or approximately 1%, at least, up to or approximately 3%, and/or at least, up to or approximately 5%.
- a drainage system 18 may be installed at the edge of the playing surface 13. Drainage system 18 may comprise a pipe or channel that can collect water running off the impervious layer 17, and transport it away from the playing surface 13. Draining water in this way is more efficient than conventional drainage systems, and may allow the collected water to be recycled.
- a pitch according to the present invention may have exceptional horizontal drainage characteristics.
- the tests were carried out on a pitch according to the invention, in which the intermediate layer comprised a plurality of interlocking tiles made of expanded polypropylene. Each tile comprised a plurality of downwardly extending, hemispherical projections.
- the pitch further comprised an impervious layer between the intermediate layer and the supportive base layer. In use, water can flow horizontally (i.e. drain from the pitch) in the spaces between the downwardly extending projections and on top of the impervious layer.
- Table 1 Flow capacity l/(m*s) Gradient Sample 1 l/(m*s) Sample 2 l/(m*s) Sample 3 l/(m*s) Mean value l/(m*s) 0.01 0.553 0.551 0.556 0,55 0.03 0.845 0.853 0.849 0.85 0.05 1.023 1.024 1.024 1.02
- a pitch comprising a rubber performance layer arranged on a macadam base typically achieves a horizontal drainage (flow capacity) of around 0.09 l/(m*s), i.e. much lower than the horizontal drainage characteristics that can be achieved with a pitch according to the present invention.
- additional drainage channels may be excavated, thereby increasing complexity and the time required to build the pitch.
- a pitch according to the invention may be built without needing to excavate such drainage channels.
- a layer of soil may be excavated to form a vacant space, followed by partially filling the vacant space to form a supportive base layer 2.
- a foam layer 3 is placed above the supportive base layer 2, and a surface layer 4 placed above the foam layer 3.
- the foam layer 3 is configured to provide a predetermined amount of stability and performance regulation to the surface layer 4.
- Excavating the layer may be achieved using any suitable tool or machine.
- the excavated space must have the same or slightly larger areal dimensions as the playing surface 1, and its depth must be substantially the same or at least a substantial fraction of the total height of the playing surface 1.
- the vacant space may be partially filled with stones or crushed stones to form the supportive base layer 2.
- the stones may be clean stones or dusty or dirty stones or a combination of both.
- placing the foam layer 3 on to the supportive base layer 2 comprises placing a plurality of interlocking foam tiles 9 onto the supportive base layer 2 to form the foam layer 3.
- an impervious layer 17 is placed on top of the supportive base layer 2 before the foam layer 3 is located.
- placing the foam layer 3 comprises placing a foam layer 3 on top of the impervious layer 17, which is in turn on top of the supportive base layer 2.
- the impervious layer 17 may be provided as a roll of material, and placing the impervious layer 17 may comprise unrolling the material across the supportive base layer 2.
Description
- The invention relates to a sports pitch according to the preamble of
claim 1 and to a method of constructing a sports pitch according to the preamble ofclaim 11. - Since the 1960s some sports teams and governing bodies have experimented with the introduction of artificial playing surfaces to replace traditional grass pitches. Natural grass pitches are expensive to maintain, and limit use of the pitch in inclement weather, becoming, for example, too muddy in heavy rain or too hard when the ground freezes. Natural grass pitches can also be very difficult to grow satisfactorily in partially or fully enclosed stadia. Examples of artificial playing surfaces are disclosed in
EP 2154291 ,US 2005/042394 ,KR 100881167 WO 9301356 WO 2011036600 ,KR 20120044788 GB 2248024 - The original artificial pitches were found to be unsatisfactory. Their surfaces were harder than a grass surface, increasing the risk of injury and altering the dynamics of play in games like cricket. The abrasive artificial grass blades of artificial turf were painful to slide over, limiting their use for higher contact sports.
- Many of the problems of the original artificial pitches have been solved by the current "third generation" of artificial playing surfaces. Indeed, a recent study concluded that there is no difference between the injuries sustained on a third generation artificial pitch and those sustained on a natural grass pitch. As a result, participants and governing bodies of many sports are once again looking at the introduction of artificial pitches as a way of saving money on pitch maintenance.
- An artificial playing surface typically comprises three key elements. A surface layer such as artificial turf rests on a layer providing performance regulation, which in turn sits on a layer providing stability. In a common system currently in use, synthetic blades of grass are tufted into a backing fabric to form the artificial turf. An infill of sand and/or rubber is then placed between the synthetic blades. The infill keeps the blades upright, and provides suitable shock absorbency for the sport being played on the surface.
- In an alternative embodiment of current pitch design, a shock absorbing layer is placed underneath the synthetic grass layer, typically comprising rubber or closed-cell foam shock pads.
- In both of these embodiments, sometimes referred to as 'dynamic' systems, a substantial stabilising layer is required to provide the necessary stability to ensure the surface layer can provide the desired performance characteristics. Typically, the stabilising layer is a thick layer of stones. A large area of ground must be excavated with a large volume of soil and earth being removed, which normally needs disposing of away from site. A large amount of stone is then put into the excavated space. This is an expensive process with a large carbon footprint.
- It is also known to provide a stabilising layer, which incorporates a Macadam layer on top of the thick layer of stones. Such pitches are sometimes referred to as 'engineered' systems. Laying the Macadam layer requires the use of specialist machinery. Accordingly, complexity, and time required to install the pitch may be increased. The specialist machinery may also be heavy and therefore any layer of stone must support the weight of the specialist machinery during construction.
- For outside pitches, further excavation is typically needed to create drainage channels running under the stabilising layer, further adding to the time needed for producing the artificial pitch.
- Therefore, despite the progress made in artificial playing surfaces, there is still room for further improvement to reduce construction time, spoil disposal and carbon emissions associated with building an artificial pitch.
- It is an object of the invention to address one or more of the above mentioned problems.
- In accordance with a first aspect of the invention there is provided a sports pitch comprising a base layer, an intermediate layer, an impervious layer located between the intermediate layer and the base layer and a surface layer, wherein the base layer comprises stones and is up to 200mm thick, wherein the intermediate layer comprises or consists essentially of a foam layer comprising expanded polypropylene, and wherein the intermediate layer has a thickness of at least 40mm and up to 65mm and has a density of at least 30 grams per litre and up to 60 grams per litre.
- The required performance standard will depend on the intended use or uses of the playing surface, which may include one or more sports. For instance, the required performance standard may be governed by the guidelines, rules and/or regulations of one or more sports' organisations or governing bodies.
- In this way, the depth of the supportive base layer can be greatly reduced, requiring less excavation, less transporting of materials such as stone and spoil, and reducing installation times.
- In a particular embodiment, the intermediate layer or foam layer comprises one or more energy dissipating formations. The energy dissipating formations may be configured to dissipate energy of an impact on the playing surface through deformation. In some embodiments, the foam layer comprises a plurality of downwardly extending energy dissipating projections.
- The intermediate layer or foam layer may be formed of a plurality of tiles. The tiles may be placed adjacent to each other without interlocking, or may comprise a plurality of interlockable tiles, each tile having formations for cooperating with formations on the other tiles for interlocking the tiles together.
- In this arrangement of the intermediate layer or foam layer, the projections may deform into the spaces between the projections upon impact from the playing surface. Appropriately shaped and arranged projections can change the profile of how energy is dissipated, and so can allow the performance regulating ability of the intermediate layer or foam layer to be tuned for a given sport or activity on the playing surface.
- The top surface of the intermediate layer or foam layer may comprise a rough surface that contacts the surface layer to provide high frictional resistance to the relative movement between the top surface and surface layer. The surface layer may be adapted for the playing of a particular sport. For example, the surface layer may be an artificial turf for playing traditionally grass-based sports such as football or rugby.
- The density of the intermediate layer may be up to 50 grams per litre. The density of the intermediate layer may be up to or at least 35 grams per litre and/or up to or at least 45 grams per litre. The density of the intermediate layer may be approximately 40 grams per litre.
- A thinner intermediate or foam layer may not provide adequate support to the surface layer, and could break apart during use. In some embodiments, at least two of the plurality of projections may have a height of at least approximately 10mm, and preferably, the majority of the plurality of projections have a height of at least approximately 10mm. For example, at least two of the plurality of projections may have a height of approximately 15mm.
- The stones may be clean stones, without any dust on or between the stones. Alternatively, some or all of the stones may be dusty. Previous systems have required the supportive base layer to comprise clean stones to prevent frost heave. The reduced depth of supportive base layer allowed by the first aspect of the invention prevents the occurrence of frost heave, and so permits the use of dusty stones. Dusty stones do not require energy to be expended in cleaning the stones, and so may be cheaper than clean stones. Additionally, finer stones may be used than previously, which can provide increased stability.
- The supportive base layer may be between 100mm and 200mm thick. The supportive base layer may have a thickness of up to or at least 100mm, up to or at least 125mm, up to or at least 150mm, and/or up to or at least 175mm. In some embodiments, the supportive base layer may be approximately 150mm thick. In previous systems, a much thicker base layer of approximately 300-350mm has typically been required.
- In some embodiments, the intermediate layer or foam layer or each tile of the intermediate layer or foam layer may further comprise one or more holes configured to drain water away from the surface layer. The or each hole may extend from the top surface to the bottom surface of the intermediate layer or foam layer or each tile of the intermediate layer or foam layer.
- The impervious layer between the intermediate or foam layer and the supportive base layer prevents fluids draining from the surface layer from reaching the supportive base layer. Water may collect at the interface between the intermediate or foam layer and the impervious layer, and drain out of the edge of the pitch. The impervious layer may be configured to direct liquid to a preferred edge of the intermediate or foam layer. Water may be collected from the edge of the pitch by a drainage system, and may be recycled. This may be advantageous over previous inventions where water was drained through the supportive base layer into constructed drainage channels, or lost into the ground. Advantageously, the present invention may not require the construction of drainage channels and installation of pipes running under the pitch, thereby reducing installation times compared with previous pitch construction methods.
- The impervious layer may be up to or at least 0.5mm thick, up to or at least 0.75mm thick, up to or at least 1.0mm thick, up to or at least 1.25mm thick and/or up to or at least 1.5mm thick. For instance, the impervious layer may have a thickness between 0.75mm and 1.5mm. The impervious layer may be formed of an impervious membrane. The impervious layer may comprise a polymeric material, e.g. polyethylene or polypropylene. The impervious layer may comprise or be made of polyethylene or coated polypropylene.
- The supportive base layer may have a slight incline across at least a portion of its surface. The slight incline across the surface of the supportive base layer may be at least, up to or approximately 1%, at least, up to or approximately 3%, and/or at least, up to or approximately 5%.
- In an embodiment, in which the playing surface comprises an impervious layer, the playing surface may be configured such that the playing surface has a horizontal drainage flow capacity of 0.4 litres per metre per second (1/(m*s)) or more, 0.5 1/(m*s) or more, 0.6 1/(m*s) or more, 0.7 1/(m*s) or more, 0.8 1/(m*s), 0.9 1/(m*s) or more, or 1 1/(m*s) or more.
- According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of constructing a playing surface comprising the steps of: partially filling a vacant space to form a base layer; placing an impervious layer above the base layer; placing an intermediate layer above the impervious layer; and placing a surface layer above the intermediate layer; wherein the base layer comprises stones and is up to 200mm thick, wherein the intermediate layer comprises or consists essentially of a foam layer comprising expanded polypropylene, and wherein the intermediate layer has a thickness of at least 40 mm and up to 65 mm and has a density of at least 30 grams per litre and up to 60 grams per litre.
- Optionally, the method may comprise the step of excavating a layer of soil to form the vacant space.
- The vacant space may have a depth of no more than 300 mm or no more than 250 mm.
- In some embodiments, the intermediate layer or foam layer may comprise a top surface and a plurality of downwardly extending energy dissipating projections, wherein the plurality of projections are arranged to dissipate energy of an impact through deformation. Placing the foam layer may comprise placing a plurality of foam tiles, each tile comprising a top surface and a plurality of downwardly extending energy dissipating projections, wherein the plurality of projections are arranged to dissipate energy of an impact through deformation.
- Partially filling the vacant space may comprise partially filling the vacant space with stones, wherein the stones may be clean stones or dusty stones or a combination of both.
- The supportive base layer may be built with a slight incline across at least a portion of its surface.
- The method may further comprise the step of placing an impervious layer between the supportive base layer and the intermediate layer or foam layer, and optionally or additionally may comprise the step of providing a drainage system to collect fluid from the surface of the impervious layer.
- The invention is described in further detail below by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
-
figure 1 is a schematic cross sectional diagram of an embodiment of a playing surface; -
figure 2 is a schematic cross sectional diagram of a foam layer; -
figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a tile of a foam layer; and -
figure 4 is a schematic cross sectional diagram of an alternative embodiment of a playing surface. -
Figure 1 illustrates schematically a cross section of an embodiment of a playingsurface 1, such as an artificial sports pitch, according to the invention. The term "playing surface" is widely used in the art, and is understood to mean the layer or layers, either natural or artificial, that provide the uppermost portion of the playing pitch, court or suchlike. The playing surface of the present invention comprises asupportive base layer 2, anintermediate layer 3 and asurface layer 4. - The
supportive base layer 2 is typically composed of stones. To build a playing surface according to conventional systems, a large volume of ground must first be excavated, producing a large amount of soil that must be removed from the site and disposed of. This process is both time-consuming and environmentally damaging.
A large amount of stones must be brought to the site to fill the majority of the depth of the excavated hole. A thick stone layer is necessary to provide sufficient support and stability to the surface layer above, in particular a macadam layer and the laying of it with heavy, specialist machinery. Providing this large amount of stone is again time-consuming and environmentally damaging. - It is an aim of this invention to reduce the thickness of the supportive base layer required to provide sufficient support to the above layers. This will reduce the number of stones and amount of excavation needed, and make building the playing surface more environmentally friendly, as well as reducing the time required for installation of the pitch.
- This aim is achieved by providing an intermediate layer such as a
foam layer 3 that is configured to provide both stability and performance regulation to thesurface layer 4 above. In this way, the thickness of thesupportive base layer 2 may be significantly reduced from approximately 300-350mm, as is typical in conventional playing surfaces, e.g. to about 150mm thick. - Performance regulation is crucial to replicating the feel of a natural grass pitch, and to providing a playing surface that can absorb the impact of falls and minimise the risk of injury to players on playing surface. In conventional systems, this has been provided by a regulation layer such as foam or shock pads. In those systems, the regulation layer did not provide a supportive function, and so required a large stone supportive layer.
- Advantageously, by using a suitable foam layer, the foam layer can provide both the necessary performance regulation and support to the surface layer above and the stability of the overall construction. In this way, the thickness of the supportive base layer may be greatly reduced, e.g. to around half or even a third, of the values typical in conventional playing surfaces.
- In a preferred embodiment shown in
figure 2 , thefoam layer 3 comprises atop surface 5 and abottom surface 6. Thetop surface 5 may have a roughened texture to provide high frictional resistance to relative motion between thetop surface 5 and thesurface layer 4. A high resistance may prevent movement of thesurface layer 4 during games played upon thesurface layer 4. - The
bottom surface 6 comprises a plurality ofenergy dissipating projections 7 extending downwards away from the top layer. The plurality ofprojections 7 are arranged to dissipate energy of an impact through deformation. Theprojections 7 have a height that is less than the total thickness of thefoam layer 3. Theprojections 7 are shaped (tapered) such that they are narrowest at their bottom-most part.Valleys 8 are formed between theprojections 7. - In the illustrated embodiment, the
projections 7 are dome shaped, however it will be understood that other shapes may be used for theprojections 7. In particular, the shape of theprojections 7 may be selected to provide the most suitable performance regulation to thesurface layer 4 for the sport or game that is intended to be played upon thesurface layer 4. - In this preferred embodiment, the dome shaped
projections 7 are arranged in a pseudo-hexagonal packing arrangement with eachprojection 7 being close to, but spaced from,adjacent projections 7. The spaces between the projections form part of thevalleys 8. - In this embodiment, the
foam layer 3 is formed of expanded polypropylene with a density of approximately 40 grams per litre. In other embodiments, the density of thefoam layer 3 may be greater than about 30 grams per litre, or preferably, approximately 30 to 50 grams per litre, or approximately 30 to 60 grams per litre. Lower densities could be used, but generally cannot provide the performance regulation and stability required of thefoam layer 3. - Alternatively,
foam layer 3 may be formed of other suitable materials, such as polyurethane, or expanded polyethylene. - The
foam layer 3 may have a thickness, defined from thetop surface 5 to the bottom-most part of thebottom surface 6, of around 40 to 65mm. In the illustrated embodiment, thefoam layer 3 has a thickness of approximately 55mm. The plurality ofprojections 7 have a height h of approximately 15mm, defined from the vertical position where theprojection 6 is narrowest to the vertical position where theprojection 6 is widest. In other embodiments, at least two of the plurality of projections may have a height of at least approximately 10mm, and preferably the majority of the plurality ofprojections 7 have a height of at least approximately 10mm. In a preferred embodiment, the majority of the plurality of projections have a height of approximately 15mm. - In some embodiments, the
foam layer 3 illustrated infigure 2 may comprise a plurality of foam tiles, wherein each tile comprises atop surface 5 and a plurality of downwardly extendingenergy dissipating projections 7, the plurality ofprojections 7 being arranged to dissipate energy of an impact through deformation. Providing thefoam layer 3 as a plurality of tiles may facilitate transportation and construction of the playingsurface 1. The foam tiles may have any shape. For example, the foam tiles may be substantially rectangular in shape, e.g. with lengths of at least 1100mm and/or to up to 1700mm, and widths of at least 800mm and/or up to 1300mm. In a preferred embodiment, the dimensions of the foam tile may be approximately 1200mm x 900mm. In an alternative embodiment, the dimensions of the foam tile may be approximately 1600mm x 1200mm. -
Figure 3 schematically illustrates a preferred embodiment of afoam tile 9. In this embodiment,tile 9 further comprisesrecesses 10 andprotrusions 11. These formations are configured to cooperate with corresponding formations onadjacent tiles 9 in order to interlockadjacent tiles 9. Interlocking thetiles 9 may makefoam layer 3 more stable. - In this embodiment, the
tile 9 further comprises one ormore holes 12 extending from thetop surface 5 to thebottom surface 6 of thetile 9. Typically, eachhole 12 may extend from thetop surface 5 to a part of thebottom surface 6 that is betweenprojections 7. Theholes 12 allow water to drain from thesurface layer 4 through to thebottom surface 6 of thefoam layer 3. Adequate drainage is necessary to keep thesurface layer 4 in a good condition.Holes 12 may be present in any other embodiment of the playingsurface 1.Figure 3 shows six holes provided evenly across the extent of thetile 9, but it will be appreciated that any number (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more) may be provided. The hole(s) 12 may be of any size and shape, in any location, and arranged in any pattern as suits the requirement of the playingsurface 1. - The
holes 12 may have a diameter of up to or at least 5mm, up to or at least 10mm or up to or at least 20mm. Typically, the holes may have a diameter of approximately 5mm. - The tile may comprise up to or at least 10, up to or at least 20, up to or at least 30, up to or at least 40, and/or up to or at least 50 holes extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the tile.
- In an example embodiment, the tile may comprise 30 holes extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the tile, the holes being arranged in a five-by-six array.
- If the playing surface is to be used in an enclosed environment, such as a covered stadium, drainage may not be required. For outside playing surfaces, particularly in wet climates, adequate drainage is essential to maintain the quality of the surface.
In some embodiments, one or moreadditional foam layers 3 may be stacked on top offoam layer 3, to provide additional support.Tiles 9 may be stacked vertically stacked to produce such a stacking of foam layers 3. - The
surface layer 4 of a playingsurface 1 may be any suitable surface for playing sports or games on, and may be adapted for the playing of a particular sport. For sports traditionally played on natural grass pitches, for example,surface layer 4 may comprise an artificial turf. - Conventional artificial pitches may suffer from frost heave. Frost heave may cause a pitch to swell upwards due to growing ice trapped under the surface in freezing conditions. To minimise this effect, the depth of the supportive layer is generally increased, increasing cost, environmental impact and installation times.
- In contrast, in the much thinner
supportive base layer 2 of embodiments of the present invention, frost heave is unlikely. Thefoam layer 3 may provide good thermal properties to minimise the effects of frost. For example, it has been found that the foam tiles of the present invention have equivalent thermal properties to a 1.7m-deep layer of stone or aggregate. - The present invention also allows the use of stone with a finer content than in previous 'dynamic' systems, and a thinner depth of stone than 'engineered' systems. Finer stones provide even more stability, and so may allow the thickness of the
supportive base layer 2 to be further reduced. -
Figure 4 schematically illustrates an alternative embodiment of a playingsurface 13, configured to provide adequate drainage. Playingsurface 13 comprises asupportive base layer 14, afoam layer 15 and asurface layer 16, as in the embodiment illustrated infigure 1 . Any of the different embodiments of thesupportive base layer 2,foam layer 3 andsurface layer 4 described above may be incorporated, alone or in combination, into playingsurface 13. - Playing
surface 13 further comprises animpervious layer 17 between thefoam layer 15 and thesupportive base layer 14.Impervious layer 17 may collect water draining downwards from thesurface layer 16, and prevent the water from entering thesupportive base layer 14, as will be discussed in more detail below.
Theimpervious layer 17 may be an impervious membrane. The impervious layer may comprise a polymeric material, e.g. polyethylene or polypropylene. For instance, the impervious layer may comprise or be made of polyethylene or coated polypropylene. - In an embodiment,
foam layer 15 is comprised of thetiles 9 discussed above, each tile having a plurality of downwardly extendingenergy dissipating projections 7, and drainage holes 12. Water from thesurface layer 16 may drain downwards through theholes 12 until it reachesimpervious layer 17. Thevalleys 8 between theprojections 7 form channels so that water may flow between theimpervious layer 17 and thefoam layer 15. - In conventional playing surfaces, drainage is provided by installing drainage pipes or channels under the supportive base layer of the playing surface to carry water to an appropriate outlet. Some water is also lost to the ground below the playing surfaces. This method requires additional deep excavation to house the drainage pipes.
- By using the embodiment of
figure 4 , drainage channels do not need to be excavated under the playing surface, reducing the installation time. - The
impervious layer 17 may be configured to direct water to a preferred edge or edges or portion(s) thereof of thefoam layer 15 so that uncertainty as to where water will drain from is removed. For example, thesupportive base layer 14 may be built with a slight incline across at least a portion of its surface, so that theimpervious layer 17 is slightly inclined. The slight incline across the surface of the supportive base layer may be at least, up to or approximately 1%, at least, up to or approximately 3%, and/or at least, up to or approximately 5%. Water on theimpervious layer 17 may thus be directed to the lowest part(s) of theimpervious layer 17. For example, theimpervious layer 17 may be inclined by at least, up to or approximately 1%, at least, up to or approximately 3%, and/or at least, up to or approximately 5%..
Adrainage system 18 may be installed at the edge of the playingsurface 13.Drainage system 18 may comprise a pipe or channel that can collect water running off theimpervious layer 17, and transport it away from the playingsurface 13. Draining water in this way is more efficient than conventional drainage systems, and may allow the collected water to be recycled. - Tests carried out by the applicant have shown that a pitch according to the present invention may have exceptional horizontal drainage characteristics. The tests were carried out on a pitch according to the invention, in which the intermediate layer comprised a plurality of interlocking tiles made of expanded polypropylene. Each tile comprised a plurality of downwardly extending, hemispherical projections. The pitch further comprised an impervious layer between the intermediate layer and the supportive base layer. In use, water can flow horizontally (i.e. drain from the pitch) in the spaces between the downwardly extending projections and on top of the impervious layer.
- Some results from the applicant's horizontal drainage testing are shown in Table 1 below.
Table 1 Flow capacity l/(m*s) Gradient Sample 1 l/(m*s) Sample 2 l/(m*s) Sample 3 l/(m*s) Mean value l/(m*s) 0.01 0.553 0.551 0.556 0,55 0.03 0.845 0.853 0.849 0.85 0.05 1.023 1.024 1.024 1.02 - Referring to the data in Table 1, for an incline of the supportive base layer and the impervious layer of 1% (a gradient of 0.01), a mean horizontal drainage (flow capacity) of 0.55 litres per metre per second (l/(m*s) was achieved. For an incline of 3% (a gradient of 0.03), the mean horizontal drainage increased to 0.85 l/(m*s), while for an incline of 5% (a gradient of 0.05), the mean horizontal drainage was 1.02 l/(m*s).
- By way of comparison, in similar tests, a pitch comprising a rubber performance layer arranged on a macadam base typically achieves a horizontal drainage (flow capacity) of around 0.09 l/(m*s), i.e. much lower than the horizontal drainage characteristics that can be achieved with a pitch according to the present invention. In order to boost the horizontal drainage characteristics of a pitch comprising a rubber performance layer arranged on a macadam base, additional drainage channels may be excavated, thereby increasing complexity and the time required to build the pitch.
- Advantageously, however, due to its exceptional horizontal drainage characteristics, a pitch according to the invention may be built without needing to excavate such drainage channels.
- In order to construct the playing
surface 1 described above, first a layer of soil may be excavated to form a vacant space, followed by partially filling the vacant space to form asupportive base layer 2. Afoam layer 3 is placed above thesupportive base layer 2, and asurface layer 4 placed above thefoam layer 3. Thefoam layer 3 is configured to provide a predetermined amount of stability and performance regulation to thesurface layer 4. - Excavating the layer may be achieved using any suitable tool or machine. The excavated space must have the same or slightly larger areal dimensions as the playing
surface 1, and its depth must be substantially the same or at least a substantial fraction of the total height of the playingsurface 1. - The vacant space may be partially filled with stones or crushed stones to form the
supportive base layer 2. The stones may be clean stones or dusty or dirty stones or a combination of both. - A
foam layer 3 as described above is placed on top of thesupportive base layer 2. In an embodiment, placing thefoam layer 3 on to thesupportive base layer 2 comprises placing a plurality of interlockingfoam tiles 9 onto thesupportive base layer 2 to form thefoam layer 3. - In some embodiments of the method, an
impervious layer 17 is placed on top of thesupportive base layer 2 before thefoam layer 3 is located. In these embodiments, placing thefoam layer 3 comprises placing afoam layer 3 on top of theimpervious layer 17, which is in turn on top of thesupportive base layer 2. - The
impervious layer 17 may be provided as a roll of material, and placing theimpervious layer 17 may comprise unrolling the material across thesupportive base layer 2. - Other embodiments are intentionally within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Claims (15)
- A sports pitch (13) comprising a base layer (14), an intermediate layer (15), an impervious layer (17) located between the intermediate layer (15) and the base layer (14), and a surface layer (16), wherein the intermediate layer (15) comprises or consists essentially of a foam layer comprising expanded polypropylene and has a thickness of at least 40 mm and up to 65 mm, characterised in that the base layer (14) comprises stones and is up to 200 mm thick and the intermediate layer (15) has a density of at least 30 grams per litre and up to 60 grams per litre.
- The sports pitch (13) of claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer (15) comprises one or more energy dissipating formations, optionally wherein the energy dissipating formations are configured to dissipate energy of an impact on the sports pitch through deformation and/or wherein the intermediate layer comprises a plurality of downwardly extending energy dissipating projections, optionally wherein at least two of the plurality of projections have a height of at least 10 mm or wherein a majority or all of the plurality of projections have a height of at least 10 mm.
- The sports pitch (13) of claim 2 wherein the one or more energy dissipating formations are shaped (e.g. tapered) such that they are narrowest at their bottom-most part, optionally wherein the one or more energy dissipating formations are dome shaped.
- The sports pitch (13) of any preceding claim, wherein the intermediate layer (15) is formed of a plurality of tiles, optionally wherein the plurality of tiles comprise a plurality of interlockable tiles, each tile having formations for cooperating with formations on the other tiles for interlocking the tiles together.
- The sports pitch (13) of any preceding claim, wherein the intermediate layer (15) comprises a top surface that contacts the surface layer, the top surface of the intermediate layer being (15) configured to provide high frictional resistance to the relative movement between the top surface and surface layer, optionally wherein the top surface of the intermediate layer (15) is rough, uneven or irregular.
- The sports pitch (13) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the surface layer (16) is or comprises a layer of artificial turf.
- The sports pitch (13) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the base layer (14) comprises clean stones or dusty stones or a combination of both.
- The sports pitch (13) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the base layer (14) is up to or at least 100 mm thick, for example approximately 150 mm thick.
- The sports pitch (13) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the intermediate layer (15) further comprises one or more holes configured to drain water away from the surface layer, optionally wherein each hole extends from a top surface to a bottom surface of the intermediate layer (15).
- The sports pitch (13) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the impervious layer (17) is formed of or comprises an impermeable membrane, and/or wherein the impervious layer (17) is configured to direct liquid to a preferred edge, edges or portion(s) thereof of the intermediate layer (15), and/or further comprising a drainage means or drainage system (18) configured to collect fluid from the surface of the impervious layer (17), and/or wherein the sports pitch (13) is configured such that the sports pitch (13) has a horizontal drainage flow capacity of 0.4 litres per metre per second or more.
- A method of constructing a sports pitch (13) comprising the steps of:partially filling a vacant space to form a base layer (14);placing an impervious layer (17) above the base layer (14);placing an intermediate layer (15) above the impervious layer (17); andplacing a surface layer (16) above the intermediate layer (15);wherein the intermediate layer (15) comprises or consists essentially of a foam layer comprising expanded polypropylene and has a thickness of at least 40 mm and up to 65 mm, characterised in that the base layer (14) comprises stones and is up to 200 mm thick and the intermediate layer (15) has a density of at least 30 grams per litre and up to 60 grams per litre.
- The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of excavating a layer of soil to form the vacant space, and/or wherein the vacant space has a depth of no more than 300 mm or no more than 250 mm.
- The method of claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the foam layer comprises one or more energy dissipating formations, and/or wherein placing the intermediate layer (15) comprises placing a plurality of foam tiles on top of the impervious layer, each tile comprising one or more energy dissipating formations.
- The method of any of claims 11 to 13, wherein partially filling the vacant space comprises partially filling the vacant space with stones, wherein the stones comprise clean stones or dusty stones or a combination of both.
- The method of any of claims 11 to 14, wherein the intermediate layer (15) comprises one or more holes configured to drain water away from the surface layer, optionally wherein each hole extends from a top surface to a bottom surface of the intermediate layer, and/or further comprising the step of providing a drainage means or drainage system (18) to collect fluid from the surface of the impervious layer (17).
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US8029376B2 (en) * | 2008-10-29 | 2011-10-04 | Shaneour Dwight C | Shock absorbing athletic field and method of constructing same |
IT1396154B1 (en) * | 2009-09-23 | 2012-11-16 | Agripool S R L A Socio Unico | SHOCK ABSORBING AND CONSISTENT COMPOSITE STRUCTURE, FOR EXAMPLE FOR PLAYING FIELDS. |
KR20120044788A (en) * | 2010-10-28 | 2012-05-08 | 김동현 | The turf structure for constructing artificial turf ground and lawn ground |
US20150024150A1 (en) * | 2013-07-19 | 2015-01-22 | 4427017 Canada Inc. | Surface covering panel, surface covering panel assembly and method of installing the same |
-
2015
- 2015-08-05 GB GB1513837.3A patent/GB2541001A/en not_active Withdrawn
-
2016
- 2016-07-27 WO PCT/GB2016/052305 patent/WO2017021696A1/en active Application Filing
- 2016-07-27 GB GB1613011.4A patent/GB2542679A/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2016-07-27 CA CA2993501A patent/CA2993501A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2016-07-27 US US15/749,714 patent/US20180223485A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2016-07-27 EP EP16747571.4A patent/EP3332066B1/en active Active
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
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None * |
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WO2017021696A1 (en) | 2017-02-09 |
GB2542679A (en) | 2017-03-29 |
GB201613011D0 (en) | 2016-09-07 |
EP3332066A1 (en) | 2018-06-13 |
CA2993501A1 (en) | 2017-02-09 |
GB2541001A (en) | 2017-02-08 |
US20180223485A1 (en) | 2018-08-09 |
GB201513837D0 (en) | 2015-09-16 |
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