ERAPPA 2009 - Portland

Potpourri

A Decade of In-filled Synthetic Turf: Did They Perform As We Imagined, And What Do We Do Now? *

William Seymour, P.E., Gale Associates, Inc.; Jean Robinson, University of Massachusetts Lowell

A decade ago, facilities managers "imagined" safer, more durable athletic fields. "Infilled" synthetic turf was introduced in 1998 with claims of more grass-like appearance and performance. Despite a lack of data, infilled turf systems quickly displaced AstroTurf-type carpets. Gale Associates and the UMass Lowell will discuss the infilled turf installed in 2000 and replaced in 2009. The presentation will detail actual performance data, maintenance costs, safety data, and replacement planning.