Variations in surface hardness in response to simulated traffic between stabilized cool-season turf systems

Engineering of Sport 15 - Proceedings from the 15th International Conference on the Engineering of Sport (ISEA 2024)

The surface hardness of a sports field is commonly measured to describe the resilience and shock absorbing properties of a playing surface. It is also perceived by athletesto have a strong association with increased risk of injury on artificial turf systems. Thresholds for surface hardness vary by sport. American football for example, requires all athletic surfaces to register a hardness less than 100 gmax, while FIFA prescribes a hardness of natural pitch surfaces between 70-85 gmax. Several devices for determining playing surface safety have been used to quantify surface hardness, however; the Clegg impact soil tester (CIST) remains the most widely utilized method. Originally used as a proctor test of roadways [3], the CIST has since been adopted by turf managers to determine safety by means of hardness, of a playing surface. In thisstudy, the surface hardness between two cool-season hybrid-stabilized turf systems were compared over a well-graded sand root zone. This study was conducted to build upon the body of knowledge surrounding playing surface recommendations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.