Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / William P. Winslow III / Synthetic turf has been used extensively for football, soccer, and baseball playing surfaces as a substitute for natural turf because of its increased durability, low maintenance costs, and similar characteristics. The popularity, however, has not extended to golf courses, a seemingly appropriate application. Golf courses are prized for their aesthetic beauty, and their maintenance requires regular, detailed upkeep with particular attention to fairways, tees, greens, hazards, and the surrounding landscape. The combination of regular mowing, watering, grooming, and application of chemicals aim to strengthen the overall appearance of the golf course, but have negative effects on the ecologic and economic values of the golf course. Is it possible to use synthetic turf to reduce the ecologic and economic effects of golf course maintenance, while still providing an aesthetically pleasing playing surface and environment? This study develops three methodologies from the primary areas of concern: ecologic, economic, and aesthetic. The ecologic method uses criteria derived from the Sustainable Sites Initiative. Criteria in the economic method assist in understanding the cost efficiency of synthetic turf over time. Finally, the aesthetic method contains criteria that define characteristics that affect the look of the golf course. These methods are then organized into a metric structure with the respective evaluation criteria. Using the two re-designed options of Lakeside Hills Municipal Golf Course in Olathe, Kansas as the site for application, the methodologies are evaluated for three different scenarios, the traditional turf course, a partial replacement with synthetic turf, and a full replacement, and given a score. This score provides a quantitative value to weigh the ecologic, economic, and aesthetic benefits and constraints of synthetic turf in a golf course application, and important initial step in discovering its viability in the golf course design industry.

Mitigation of health and heat-build-up issues related to black, granulated crumb rubber infill (GCRI) in synthetic turf fields (STF) while maintaining acceptable impact absorption properties was the central goal of this study. The first step was establishing a STF baseline performance of GCRI samples that originated from several sources while elucidating the synergistic parameters between infill and turf that promulgate acceptable impact performance. Based on the knowledge base built on the GCRI-STF standard, three polymeric waste streams selected for their benign chemical contents, non-black colors and competitive low costs were evaluated as alternate turf infill materials: post-consumer carpet broadloom (PCCB), post-consumer carpet tile (PCCT) and recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) drink bottles. For ground PCCB carcass (the base on the carpet construction remaining after the face fibers were removed), the heterogeneous composition of unconfined fine particles and remaining short fibers prevented sufficient material integration to allow sufficient impact energy absorption. The ground PET homogeneous particles alone lacked sufficient impact absorption capabilities, and their synergistic interactions with the turf blade yarns were not sufficient to meet specified levels of impact performance. Only the PCCT infill crumb possessed a heterogeneous structure that effectively filled the STF to yield sufficient impact cushioning comparable to standard GCRI. In conclusion, PCCT was shown to be a technically-viable candidate for GCRI infill replacement, warranting further development to bring it into closer cost competitiveness to GCRI and ensure long-term wear and weathering performance in synthetic turf.

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This research project has investigated the mechanical properties and behaviour of third generation synthetic turf surfaces used for football and rugby, with a focus on the traction behaviour produced at the shoe-surface interface. The physical characteristics and mechanical properties of the component materials used in the construction of third generation surfaces were examined. The bulk density of the rubber infill material was found to be a key variable. This was shown to be influenced by compaction and the resulting compression of the rubber infill material under an applied load. Increasing the compactive effort and/or compression under loading increased the bulk density. Shear strength of the rubber infill material was shown to be influenced by bulk density, increasing with a higher bulk density. The composite surface system behaviour of third generation synthetic turf surfaces was investigated. Several surface variables were measured including; shockpad thickness, synthetic turf carpet construction, infill thickness, infill bulk density and infill material type. Shockpad thickness, rubber infill thickness and bulk density were found to influence the impact behaviour, with a thicker rubber layer (shockpad and/or rubber infill layer) reducing the hardness of a surface system. Increasing the bulk density of the rubber infill with compactive effort increased the surface system hardness. Traction behaviour of composite surface systems was explored using three traction test methods to measure both rotational and translational traction. Rubber infill bulk density was shown to be a primary influencing variable from the playing surface variables investigated. Several further traction variables were explored to provide a fuller understanding of the mechanisms involved in the production of traction at the shoe-surface interface including; vertical stress, stud configuration, stud dimension, stud penetration, water and temperature. Vertical stress and stud configuration were found to be primary variables influencing traction development. A traction framework has been developed identifying the factors affecting the production of traction at the shoe-surface interface. It is intended that the traction framework can be used by the sports surface industry, sports governing bodies and academia to aid in the decisions and judgements made during the design, construction and maintenance of these surfaces to obtain desired characteristics and optimise performance and safety.

This research has investigated the behaviour of synthetic turf pitches for field hockey. A combination of mechanical and perceived data collection methods were used to provide an increased understanding of pitch behaviour. A methodology was developed to elicit perceptions from elite field hockey players. Part of the method was an inductive analysis of players responses during a participant led interview. This enabled the development of a 'structured relationship model' which Illustrated five general dimensions. Each general dimension was part of a hierarchical structure formed from base themes via players responses. Based on characteristics identified in the 'structured relationship model' a questionnaire was designed to quantify the Importance and preferences of certain playing characteristics for elite field hockey players. It was found that players thought 'surface consistency' and 'the ability to demonstrate deft skills' as the most Important surface characteristics it was also identified that given a choice the majority of players would like to play on a fast, low bouncing surface conducive to deft stickwork with 'high' underfoot grip, no ball spin and with a moderate hardness Monitoring during the construction of a world class water-based synthetic turf hockey pitch has shown the influence each layer on the overall pitch system. Novel equipment to the sports Industry was used to evaluate each layer during construction and a large amount of variability was identified across the pitch. it was identified that if the subgrade had a weak area of low stiffness then the subsequent layers above were also vulnerable to low measurements. This highlighted the Importance of quality control during construction A laboratory investigation using a combination of shockpad and carpet samples identified the Influence different systems had on the playing surface. During the investigation testing was conducted on the laboratory floor and in a prepared box constructed to Simulate a 'typical' pitch. it was identified that the layers below the shockpad had little Influence on the measurements. Conditions were monitored and it was identified the Importance water has on the behaviour of the surface lt was found to significantly reduce ball rebound height and rotational traction A series of site investigations using mechanical tests has shown the variability between pitches even at elite standard Six pitches were evaluated and a range of results were obtained and compared with the requirements from the international governing body for field hockey. A correlation between the artificial athlete Berlin and 2.25 kg Clegg impact hammer demonstrated that the Clegg hammer could be a valuable tool for surface assessment. A comparison of players perceptions and the mechanical measurements of six pitches were evaluated. lt was found that the perceived behaviour of ball rebound, underfoot traction and surface hardness correlated well with measured data. However, it was shown that players perceptions of surface pace did not correspond to measurements of ball roll distance. The three main sections of work comprising site data collection, laboratory testing and elicitation of players perceptions have been used together to provide a much greater understanding of the behaviour of synthetic turf pitches for field hockey.

This study aimed to extend the knowledge on player and surface loading by contributing new data in relation to a greater range of movements, relevant in-game scenarios and on carefully controlled third generation artificial turf surfaces. This was done by selecting soccer relevant movements and in-game scenarios for a player movement study with the help of a player focus group and questionnaire. Furthermore, four surfaces were created with surface hardness and rotational traction values at the upper and lower limits of the standards set by FIFA. The study showed that both the surface hardness and rotational traction properties can affect the human movement dynamics, though these effects were mainly present during the stop and turn manoeuvre. During the stop and turn manoeuvre the soft and high traction surfaces conditions led to increased frontal plane moments as well as increased average ground reaction forces during mid-stance. In combination with decreased ground contact times it appeared that the players were able to decelerate / accelerate faster and generate a larger force on the soft and high traction surfaces. During peak push off it appeared that the players were able to generate a larger force on the hard surfaces, which also led to a significant increase in plantar flexion moment. While some parameters showed an effect for surface hardness and / or rotational traction across all four surface conditions, for others such as the knee valgus, hip extension and hip internal rotation moment showed only a significant effect between two of the four surfaces. At the same time the other surfaces showed either no effect or the opposite effect. This suggests that the effects of the surface hardness can be influenced by the rotational traction properties, and vice versa. Regarding the jumping / heading manoeuvre the effects of the surface conditions were limited. This may have been related to the high demands of the movement, or to limitations of the mechanical measurement methods. In addition to the effects of surface properties on human movement dynamics the study also showed that the mechanical measurement methods may not be representative of the human loading. The impact force conditions of the advanced artificial athlete were substantially different to that of the stop and turn and jumping / heading manoeuvre. Whereas for the rotational traction test the study showed that the rotation of the foot during the ST was substantially less than the minimum 45° required by the FIFA guidelines. Regarding the inclusion of in-game scenarios the study showed that both the simulated opponent used for the stop and turn manoeuvre, and heading a ball during a maximal vertical stop jump manoeuvre can affect the human movement dynamics. During the stop and turn with a simulated opponent the frontal plane moments in the lower limbs were significantly increased. However, this increase in joint loading could not be related to any changes in movement strategy. During the landing after heading a ball during a maximal vertical stop jump the players used a different landing strategy by landing in a more upright position and increasing the ankle plantar flexion ankle just before lading. This allowed for a larger change in the ankle plantar / dorsi flexion angle to absorb the impact of the landing. In addition to this, the heading manoeuvre also led to a significant increase in the frontal plane joint moments of the lower limbs. For future studies it is recommended that a combination of surface properties is used to gain insight into how these affect each other regarding the effects they have on human movement dynamics. In addition, they should provide detailed information on the surface design as well as the properties. Regarding the quantification of the properties it is recommended that in addition to industry standards the surfaces are also quantified using conditions closer to those expected within the study. It is also recommended that future studies incorporate in-game scenarios in order to gain more insight into the effects of interventions that simulate actual match situations.