Glossary

A surface coating system which uses water-soluble resins, fillers and pigments. Acrylic coatings may be applied as a spray coating on open textured base layers to provide a porous system or applied by squeegee, in successive layers, on to an impervious base, to provide a non-porous system.

A colour coat which incorporates the chemical constituents which make up the acrylic system. An acrylic colour coat may be applied as either a porous (spray applied) or an impervious (squeegee applied) finish.

Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line

Naturally occurring rock or gravel which may be crushed and graded to conform with a relevant standard.

The Association of Play Industries

A sports carpet designed for tennis manufactured by tufting or needle punching fibres of polypropylene or polyolefin into a backing cloth. When laid in on a flat base, this carpet is designed to mimic natural clay tennis courts and is recognised by the ITF.

A sports carpet manufactured by weaving, knitting, tufting or needle punching fibres of polypropylene, polyolefin or nylon into a backing cloth. When laid in on a flat base, this carpet can be designed to comply with the performance criteria of a range of sports governing bodies.

A sports carpet manufactured by weaving, knitting, tufting or needle punching fibres of polypropylene, polyolefin or nylon into a backing cloth. When laid in on a flat base, this carpet can be designed to comply with the performance criteria of a range of sports governing bodies.

A matrix of graded stone, normally bound with a bituminous binder and compacted as an impervious material. Used as non-porous engineered layer for base or surfacing courses in the construction of acrylic and cushioned acrylic tennis court surfaces.

A matrix of graded stone, normally bound with a bituminous binder and compacted as a free draining porous material. Used as porous engineered layer for base or surfacing courses in the construction of certain sports surface systems.

European Standard: Impact attenuating playground surfacing — Determination of critical fall height.

European Standard: Surfaces for sports areas - Indoor surfaces for multi-sports use.

European Standard: Surfaces for sports areas - Synthetic turf and needle-punched surfaces primarily designed for outdoor use.

The British Standards Institution

Comité European de Normalisation. The European Committee for Standardisation, responsible for the production of the European Standards.

An abbreviation for the Construction Industry Training Board. This is one of the few remaining statutory training boards left in the UK. The Board is funded by a statutory levy on UK construction companies where their activities come within the Scope Order of the Board. The CITB run very successful training courses at their centre at Bircham Newton. Contact their website at: CITB website.

In the case of a soil, the shearing strength of the material not due to friction. The degree to which the particles will cling together.

A paint system, which may be, for instance, acrylic or polymeric, applied to a surface to provide an aesthetic finish.

The principle, in earthworks terms where material from the high parts of a site is moved to fill the low areas and create a level plane.

See unbound base.

Engalnd and Wales Cricket Board.

The ability of a material to return to its original shape after having been deformed by a load for a short period of time.

Any polymer having high extensibility together with rapid and substantially complete elastic recovery.

The term 'engineered base' is applied to the sub-surface layers of a sports surfacing system where the structural layers supporting the surfacing system are of a bituminous-bound macadam construction. This contrasts with a 'dynamic base' system where the sub-surface layers are unbound.

England Netball - The National Governing Body for netball in England.

Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer. Man-made rubber granules available in a range of colours. Used for 3G pitch infill, athletics track surfacing and in children's playground surfacing.

The Football Association.

A tennis court surfacing material developed in USA consisting of a crushed stone of a specific geological type which is screened and may be mixed with a chemical binder. The system is designed to be porous and is often referred to as 'American Clay'.

A property displayed by certain polypropylene fibres in which the carpet fibre, when wearing, splits along its length into finer sub-fibres called fibrils.

Synthetic turf fibres that split vertically in use, folding over the sand filling creating stability of the sand.

International Basketball Federation.

Fédération Internationale de Football Association, the world governing body of football.

Federation Internationale de Hockey. The International Hockey Federation.

A playing surface comprising a synthetic yarn supported by the addition of filling material such as a sand stabilising layer or a polymeric or organic sports performance layer.

This is commonly the native material on which the sports facility is constructed (otherwise known as the sub-grade).

The mechanical removal of the top layer of turf only, i.e. thatch, weeds, rogue grasses, whilst leaving the main root structure behind providing stability and re-growth when used with a re-seed programme

The deterioration of an engineered porous asphalt playing surface where the aggregate becomes loosened and breaks away from the surface matrix.

The degree to which an unbound material, such as soil or sub-base, will expand due to the presence of ice forming within the layer causing heave at the surface.

A man-made fibre made into semi-permeable sheets and laid over exposed sub-soil at formation level to ensure separation of soil from base stone materials whilst allowing water to pass. Or used to separate layers of differential aggregates; sometimes reinforced with plastic meshing, when building on less stable soils or possible land fill sites. (Specialist help recommended for land-fill locations)

Grounds Management Association, formally known as the IOG.

The slope on a surface relative to the horizontal. Expressed as a ratio (1 in 100) or as a percentage (1%). Gradients are also referred to as falls.

Defined as 'Head Injury Criterion'. The measurement of the maximum severity experienced, over any period, during a head impact with a surface. Used to determine the HIC of a playing surface for Rugby or items of playground equipment. The test involves dropping a headform on to a surface from pre-determined heights and measuring the impact force with an accelerometer mounted on the headform.

A natural turf playing surface with a stitched or woven polypropylene system to secure bind and improve the playing characteristics of a natural turf surface

An irrigation system consists of a water source, including storage tank, etc., pipe-work and a sprinkler, or rain-gun, system to apply the water evenly over the playing surface.

The International Tennis Federation

Establishing a horizontal reference line by using a laser survey instrument. By continuously rotating the laser instrument on vertical axis a truly horizontal plane can be achieved. Site levels can then be established by using the light beam as a datum.

Establishing a horizontal reference line by using a laser survey instrument. By continuously rotating the laser instrument on vertical axis a truly horizontal plane can be achieved. Site levels can then be established by using the light beam as a datum.

An emulsion of water and synthetic rubber, often used to coat the underside of artificial grass carpets as a secondary backing. Can also be used as a binder of rubber granules in certain types of cast synthetic surfaces.

The Lawn Tennis Association

A hand-tool consisting of a straight-edge approx. 500mm long fixed to a wooden handle used in a raking motion to evenly distribute material on a surface, such as a clay court.

Now properly termed "asphalt". A matrix of graded stone, normally bound with a bituminous binder and compacted. Used as base or surfacing courses in the construction of certain sports surface systems.

A growth of certain species of fungi.

A Company, based in Italy, specialising in the manufacture of polymeric athletics surfaces in pre-fabricated sheet form.

A single extruded fibre, giving increased strength to the fibre.

An acronym formed from the words' Multi Use Games Area. Has become the generic term for multi use games areas in the UK.

Needled polypropylene to form a flat felt, then secondary needled to form a pile structure, with resin impregnation to form backing.

A type of polypropylene fibre, which is designed to resist the fibrillating action displayed by most polypropylene fibres. A fibril is the longitudinal sub-division of a carpet fibre.

Fibres that are claimed not to split, manufacturers state this improves durability of the surface. Increased maintenance of sand filling may be a requirement with such fibres.

Usually shorter piled, very dense synthetic sports surfaces that require a regular application of water to reduce player friction and slow the speed of the ball down across the surface. Combined with some form of underlay/shock-pad, sometimes integral. The carpets or the pad are typically designed to hold up the water flow at a specific rate.

A polyamide fibre used in the manufacture of artificial grass carpets.

The direction of the major axis of a facility, such as a track, tennis court or pitch, relative to the points of the compass.

Structural and cosmetic deterioration due to chemical reaction with oxygen, normally associated with prolonged exposure to the sun.

The ease with which water will pass through the pores of a particular strata. Texture, grading, degree of compaction and primary structure strongly influence the permeability of a strata.

The measurement of the length of fibre strand above the backing in a synthetic turf carpet.

The measurement of the length of fibre strands above the sport performance infill in 3G synthetic turf surface.

The ability of a material to be deformed without cracking or crumbling and then maintain that deformed shape after the deforming force has been released.

A large molecule built up by the repetition of small chemical units.

The generic term for sports surfacing systems which use flexible polyurethane material to bind the aggregates, normally rubber granules, in the system. Common uses for polymeric materials include athletics track systems, shock-pads under artificial grass carpets, MUGAs and impact absorbing surfacing in children's play areas.

A polymeric surface consists of a mixture of polyurethane binder and rubber granules. This may take the form of a solid matrix of polyurethane with granules acting as fillers ( solid PU systems) or be open textured with the polyurethane acting as an adhesive between granules (porous PU systems). These surfaces are commonly used for athletics tracks, shock-pads below carpets, multi-use surfaces, impact absorbing surfaces in playgrounds and indoor sports-hall floors.

A blend of copolymers of propylene sometimes with blends of ethylene, manufactured as fibres for use in artificial grass carpets.

A composite material, e.g. a track surface, made from an aggregate (normally rubber granules) bound together by a polyurethane binder.

Allowing liquid, normally water, to pass through.

See asphalt (porous)

See asphalt (porous)

In tufted sports carpets the individual fibres are tufted into a woven sheet of polypropylene material, which is called the primary backing.

The area on a sports facility bounded by the play lines, e.g. on a tennis court the area within the lines where the ball is in play.

The RAL chart is a standard colour selection chart, commonly used by domestic paint manufacturers, which relates colours to a reference number. Synthetic turf and paint manufacturers will supply their materials to a colour or shade in the RAL range.

Loosening of surface particles in an unbound surface causing deterioration of the court surface, e.g. in the case of a Fast-dry (American clay) court.

A bunker is an area on a golf course which has been excavated and filled with sand to create a ‘hazard’ for the player. The construction of the bunker may be such that the sides are shallow and self-supporting or deep with near vertical faces. The latter are called ‘revetted faces’ and are normally created by building walls of turf, laid horizontally in successive layers, in the same way as courses of brickwork. Steep-faced, revetted bunkers are normally found on links (sea-side) courses where they help retain the sand in the bunker rather than be blown out by wind.

The Rugby Football Union.

A material manufactured by granulating rubber to form a graded rubber aggregate for use in sports and play surfacing and shock-pads. The crumb may be granulated from SBR rubber from re-cycled tyres or may be coloured EPDM rubber.

Sand and rubber filled into long piled synthetic turf (40-65mm), specifically for Football, Rugby and GAA applications, usually filled to within 15-20mm of the top of the pile.

A synthetic turf carpet, which is only partially filled with sand. The sand is to help stabilise the carpet and retain some moisture in the system.

Where the pile of a synthetic grass is fully sand-filled to within 2 – 3mm of the top of the pile.

Normally refers to athletics track systems where the base layer and surfacing layers are of two, or more, distinct types of construction but acting in unison to form the complete system.

A sandwich track construction normally consists of a base layer constructed from polyurethane bound rubber crumb, sealed with a polyurethane compound and finished with a flow coating of polyurethane with EPDM crumb as a wearing coat. The system is non-porous.

The Sports and Play Construction Association

Styrene Butadiene Rubber. The type of rubber commonly granulated from vehicle tyres. Used in the manufacture of Sports Permance Infill in 3G pitches in shockpads for sports surfaces, athletics track surfaces and play surfaces.

The process of loosening a compacted surface, such as a clay court, by scratching the surface using a rake or similar.

Long horizontal strips of steel set in position using a level and used to contain and establish a true level for a surfacing material. Used in the construction of macadam and clay tennis courts. And in the formation of the upper specialist layers of high tolerance unbound based structures.

In tufted sports carpets the individual fibres are tufted into a woven sheet of polypropylene material, which is called the primary backing. These fibres are then anchored into the primary backing by the application of a layer of liquid (normally latex) which, in due course, hardens-off to become the secondary backing.

Shale is a sedimentary rock, finely stratified and normally oil bearing. When the oil is extracted from the rock, the residual burnt material is red in colour and is normally referred to as shale or blaes. This material was commonly used in water bound sports surfaces between 1950 and 1970, particularly in Scotland. The term ‘shale’ is often, erroneously, used to describe red crushed brick or clay tennis courts.

A surface which does not have more than one gradient on the surface, i.e. all sloping in one direction.

Low slip resistance fibre; each fibre has a coating to reduce friction. Less friction on the fabric, so reduced wear and tear on the fibre; also ability to slide more, which can speed the ball up across the surface and be a benefit to falling players.

Typically a layer or layers of aggregate that are laid above the formation (sub-grade) to provide a platform for construction and load bearing capacity for the sports facility.

This is commonly the native material on which the sports facility is constructed (otherwise known as the Formation layer).

Abbreviation for a Synthetic Turf Pitch

A coating system, utilising rubber granules in a polyurethane binder, spray applied to a rubber base mat or porous bitmac.

The top level of the sub-soil prepared to receive the base stone layer.

A sports carpet manufactured by weaving, knitting, tufting or needle punching fibres of polypropylene, polyolefin or nylon into a backing cloth. When laid in on a flat base, this carpet can be designed to comply with the performance criteria of a range of sports governing bodies.

A sports carpet manufactured by weaving, knitting, tufting or needle punching fibres of polypropylene, polyolefin or nylon into a backing cloth. When laid in on a flat base, this carpet can be designed to comply with the performance criteria of a range of sports governing bodies.

The generic term applied to synthetic turf carpets used specifically for football, rugby and GAA sports. Third generation (3G) describes the type of system that incorporates stabilising infill and sports perfmance infills, generally sand and rubber granules or organic material. The fibre length is normally in the range 40mm to 65mm. This system has been widely accepted for football, rugby and GAA sports from community sports level through to professional sport.

A property of certain gels which can vary the viscosity of a liquid such as paint.

The soil, found in the top few centimetres of a site, containing vegetative matter and supporting growth.

The layer of soil beneath true ‘top-soil’ which still contains occasional grass root or vegetable material; or of a soil mixture that is combined topsoil and subsoil integrated, such that it is not suitable to form an appropriate sub-grade from.

The addition of fine material to the playing surface of a sports facility such as a shale tennis court, a natural grass pitch or a sand filled pitch. The addition of fine material may be required from time to time to top up the level of surface dressing.

The natural shape of the landscape, i.e. slopes, mounds, etc

The area on a sports facility where the player can move without being out of play, e.g. on a tennis court, all of the area inside the surround fence.

Carpet produced by inserting pile yarn, with needles, into a pre-made primary backing.

The United Kingdom Athletics Association

The term 'un-bound base' is applied to the sub-surface layers of a sports surfacing system where the layers, supporting the surfacing system, are of an unbound construction, sometimes refered to 'dynamic base'. This contrasts with an 'engineered base' system where the sub-surface layers are bituminous-bound macadam.

A playing surface comprising a synthetic yarn not supported or stabilised by the addition of any other material.

United States Tennis Court and Track Builders Association

A method of improving the drainage characteristics of soil and natural grass by the formation of vertical drainage holes through compacted topsoil. This is normally done by a tractor mounted system of tines forced into the topsoil layer at regular intervals. The holes so formed may be filled with a coarse sand.

Usually shorter piled, very dense synthetic sports surfaces that require a regular application of water to reduce player friction and slow the speed of the ball down across the surface. Combined with some form of underlay/shock-pad, sometimes integral. The carpets or the pad are typically designed to hold up the water flow at a specific rate and are a specialist hockey surface.

Usually shorter piled, very dense synthetic sports surfaces that require a regular application of water to reduce player friction and slow the speed of the ball down across the surface. Combined with some form of underlay/shock-pad, sometimes integral. The carpets or the pad are typically designed to hold up the water flow at a specific rate.

World Athletics, the world governing body for athletics, formally known as the IAAF.

World Rugby, the international governing body for rugby, formally know as the International Rugby Board (IRB).

The generic term applied to the first generation of synthetic turf products developed in the 1960's and 1970's. The surfaces were non-filled and and were formed of a very dense short carpet pile, made initially from nylon and incorporating integral underlays / shockpads.

The generic term applied to the second generation of synthetic turf products developed in the 1980s ans 1990's. The surfaces were designed to used for multiple sports and were formed using polypropylene yarn and filled with sand and had a carpet pile height of 20mm - 25mm. Their popularity was enhanced by their multi-use nature and usage grew considerably at that time. Sand dressed variations became more popular in the 1990's, especially for hockey use.

The generic term applied to synthetic turf carpets used specifically for football, rugby and GAA sports. Third generation (3G) describes the type of system that incorporates stabilising infill and sports perfmance infills, generally sand and rubber granules or organic material. The fibre length is normally in the range 40mm to 65mm. This system has been widely accepted for football, rugby and GAA sports from community sports level through to professional sport.