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Performance of Synthetic Sports Pitches

A Study of Synthetic Hockey Pitches

Supervisors: Dr P. R. Fleming; Dr N. Dixon; Prof. Roy Jones

Research Staff: John Lambert (RA); Colin Young (RS)

EHA Contact: Colin Horsley

Project Period: July 2001 to July 2004

Funding: Support is being provided by English Hockey and the Faculty of Engineering at LU.

Collaboration: The project steering/advisory group also comprises representatives from Sport England and SAPCA.

Background
The English Hockey Association (EHA) aims to provide the best facilities possible for English Hockey and incorporating one aim of advancing the playing quality and longevity of top-class pitches. The EHA wishes to take a lead in the development of future pitch facilities and this is largely embodied within the current strategy for the England World-Class Water Programme. This profile describes a new research project based at Loughborough University that aims to investigate pitch performance. The research requirements include the rigorous establishment of relationships between the pitch constituents (design and construction) and the (playing & FIH test) performance. It is expected that the FIH guidelines will be enhanced, and not superseded, by this research project.

The pitch constituent materials, specifically the unbound granular soils and bound macadam, polymeric shockpad materials, and synthetic carpet are relatively complex with respect to their compressive, tensile and shear stress-strain behaviour under loading. Their short and longer-term behaviour may be influenced by many factors such as construction method, temperature, rate of loading, number of cycles of repeated loading and environmental/ageing effects in addition to general (raw) material quality. The composite (i.e. as installed) behaviour is expected to be more complex due to their interaction.

There is much knowledge within the industry, both anecdotal and empirical, with regard to the many influences on both construction quality and playing performance. However, this work aims to collect and analyse appropriate high quality scientific data from which to draw conclusions as to the significance of many of the influences on the pitch facility and the potential for future improvements.

Objectives
The project objectives are to:

1. Precisely define the functional and performance requirements of the pitch and its constituents.
2. Review the scientific principles that underpin the pitch constituent material behaviour and the influences that control their measurement.
3. Evaluate the materials and pitch behaviour/performance from a comprehensive programme of appropriate laboratory and field tests.
4. Recommend any improvements to the design, construction and testing guidelines.

Methodology and Current Status
The methodology required to meet these research challenges incorporates the following key research activities:

• Review functional and performance criteria from literature
• Networking with other research organisations
• Field monitoring of composite pitch behaviour during and after construction
• Assessing player perception of performance
• Laboratory evaluation of materials
• Mathematical modelling
• Equipment development

The forthcoming new water-based hockey pitch at LU will form a major test-bed for testing over the first 6 months of the project, with associated laboratory materials testing.

A Database of Hockey Pitches information, including construction details and relevant test data is also to be developed.

The project has only recently commenced, and work to date includes sourcing relevant published literature, programming field and laboratory work for the LU pitch and site visits. Further funding is also being sought to enhance the scope of the work and deepen the investigations into specific aspects.

Benefits/Expected Outcomes
It is anticipated that the research findings will make a significant step forward in both understanding and evaluating the influences on the behaviour and performance of water-based Hockey pitches in particular. The work will be relevant for the assessment of other forms of synthetic sports pitch also.

The work will be widely disseminated through seminars, conference and journal papers, and the relevant sports industry forums.