Evaluation of Playing Surface Characteristics
of Various In-Filled Systems

Andrew S. McNitt, The Pennsylvania State University
Dianne Petrunak, The Pennsylvania State University

2005-2006 Data

Traction

Surface Hardness (Gmax)

Additional Resources

Bibliography

American Society for Testing and Materials. 2000a. Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Vol. 15.07. End Use Products. Standard Test Method for Shock-Absorbing Properties of Playing Surface Systems and Materials. F355-95 Procedure A. ASTM, West Conshohocken, PA.
American Society for Testing and Materials. 2000b. Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Vol. 15.07. End Use Products. Standard Test Method for Shock-Attenuation Characteristics of Natural Playing Surface Systems Using Lightweight Portable Apparatus. F1702-96. ASTM, West Conshohocken, PA.
American Society for Testing and Materials. 2000c. Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Vol. 15.07. End Use Products. Proposed Standard Test Method for Traction Characteristics of the Athletic Shoe - Sports Surface Interface. Work Number 486. ASTM, West Conshohocken, PA.
American Society for Testing and Materials. 2000d. Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Vol. 15.07. End Use Products. Shock-Absorbing Properties of North American Football Field Playing Systems as Measured in the Field. F1936-98. ASTM, West Conshohocken, PA.
American Society for Testing and Materials. 2000e. Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Vol. 15.07. End Use Products. Standard Test Method Relative Abrasiveness of Synthetic Turf Playing Surfaces. F1015-86. ASTM, West Conshohocken, PA.
Bowers, K.D.J. and Martin, R.B. 1975 Cleat-surface friction on new and old AstroTurf. Med Sci Sports, 7:132-135.
Brakeman, L. 2004. Infill systems spark debate at STMA conference. [Online] Available at http://www.athleticturf.net/athleticturf/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=85955
Buskirk, E.R., E.R. McLaughlin, and J.L. Loomis. 1971. Microclimate over artificial turf. J. Health, Phys. Ed., Rec. 42(9):29-30.
Cameron, B. and Davis, O. 1973. The swivel football shoe: a controlled study. Am. J. Sports Medicine 16-27.
Clarke, K. and Miller, S. 1977. Turf related injuries in college football and soccer. Athletic Training 12(1): 28-32.
Cockerham, S.T. and D.J. Brinkman. 1989. A simulator for cleated-shoe sports traffic on turfgrass research plots. California Turfgrass Culture 39(3&4):9-10.
Cole, G.K., Nigg, B.M., Fick, G.H., and Morlock, M. 1995. Internal loading of the foot and ankle during impact in running. J. Applied Biomechics. 11:25-46.
Culpepper, M. and Morrison, T. 1987. High school football game injuries from four Birmingham municipal fields. Alabama J. Med. Sci. 24(4): 378-382.
Heidt, R.S.J., Dormer, S.G., Cawley, P.W., Scranton, P.E.J., Losse, G., and Howard, M. Differences in friction and torsional resistance in athletic shoe-turf surface interfaces. Am J Sports Medicine, 24:834-842, 1996.
Henschen, K., Hell, J., Bean, B., and Crain S. 1989. Football injuries: is astroturf or grass the culprit? Utah J. HPERD 21:5-6.
Kandelin, W.W., G.S. Krahenbuhl, G.S. Schact, and C.A. Schact. 1976. Athletic field microclimates and heat stress. J. Safety Res. 8:106-111.
Koon, J.L., E.W. Rochester, and M.K. Howard. 1971. Environmental studies with artificial turf and grass surfaces. In Am. Soc. Agric. Eng., Pullman, WA. 27-31 June.
Krahenbuhl, G.S. 1974. Speed of Movement with Varying Footwear Conditions on Synthetic Turf and Natural Grass. Res. Quarterly 45(1):28-33.
Lambson, R.B., Barnhill, B.S. and Higgins, R.W. 1999. Football cleat design and its effects on anterior cruciate ligament injuries. A three year prospective study. Am J. Sports Medicine, 24 (2): 155-159.
Martin, B.R. 1990. Problems Associated with Testing the Impact Absorption Properities of Artificial Playing Surfaces. Natural and Artificial Playing Fields: Characteristics and Safety Features, ASTM STP 1073, R.C. Schmidt, E.F. Hoerner, E.M. Milner, and C.A. Morehouse, Eds., American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, pp. 77-84.
Meyers, M.C. and B.S. Barnhill. 2004. Incidence, Causes, and Severity of High School Football Injuries on FieldTurf Versus Natural Grass. Am J. Sports Medicine 32 (7): 1626-1638.
McNitt, A. S., Middour R. O. and Waddington D. V. 1997. Development and evaluation of a method to measure traction on turfgrass surfaces. Journal of Testing and Evaluation 25:99-107.
McNitt, A.S., and D.M. Petrunak. 2001. Playing surface quality of an infilled synthetic turf system. 2001 Annual Research Report: The Pennsylvania State University Center for Turfgrass Science. pp. 30-35.
McNitt, A. S., Landschoot, P. J. and Petrunak D. M. 2004. Evaluation of the Playing Surface Hardness of an Infilled Synthetic Turf System. Acta Hort. (ISHS) 661:559-563.
Morehouse, C.A. 1992. Artificial Turf. In D.V. Waddington et al. (eds). Turfgrass - Agromomy Monograph No. 32. Am. Soc. Agron., Madison, WI. pp. 89 - 127.
Morehouse, C.A., and W.E. Morrison. 1975. The artificial turf story: A research review. Penn State HPER Ser. No. 9. College of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, Penn State Univ., University Park, PA.
National Collegiate Athletic Association. 2004. NCAA Injury Surveillance System (ISS) [Online]. Available at http://www1.ncaa.org/membership/ed_outreach/health-safety/iss/index.html.
Nigg, B.M. 1997. Impact forces in running. Current Opinion in Orthopedics. 8:43-47.
Nigg, B.M. and Segesser, B. 1988. The influence of playing surfaces on the load of the locomotor system and on injuries for football and tennis. Sports Medicine. 5:375-385.
Popke, M. 2002. Shock Value. Athletic Business Magazine. Sept. pp. 54-66.
Powell, J. W. and Schootman M. 1993. A multivariate risk analysis of natural grass and AstroTurf playing surfaces in the National Football League. Int. Turfgrass Soc. Res. J. 7:201-221.
Powell, J. W. and Schootman, M. 1992. A multivariate risk analysis of selected playing surfaces in the National Football League: 1980 to 1989. Am. J. Sports Medicine, 20:686-694.
Shorten, M. and Himmelsbach, J. 2002. Traction of cleated shoes on natural and artificial turf football surfaces. Report to sponsers. biomechanica.com. 46 pp.
Shorten M.R., B. Hudson, and J.A. Himmelsbach. 2003. Shoe-Surface Traction of Conventional and In-filled Synthetic Turf Football Surfaces. In P. Milburn et al. (Eds.) Proc XIX International Congress of Biomechanics, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Skovron, M., Levy, I., and Agel, J. 1990. Living with artificial grass: a knowledge update. Am. J. Sport Medicine, 18(50):510-512.
Stefanyshyn, D.J., J. Worobets, and B.M. Nigg. 2002. Properties of infilled artificial playing surfaces. A project report for Cannon Johnston Sport Architecture. Human Performance Laboratory, The University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Synthetic Turf Council Inc. 2003. Guidelines for the essential elements of synthetic turf specifications. Synthetic Turf Council Inc. Daulton GA. USA. 26 pp.
Torg, J.S., Quedenfeld, T.C., and Landau, S. 1978. The shoe-surface interface and its relationship to football knee injuries. J Sports Med, 2:261-269, 1974.
Valiant, G.A. 1990. Traction Characteristics of Outsoles for Use on Artificial Playing Surfaces. Natural and Artificial Playing Fields: Characteristics and Safety Features, ASTM STP 1073, R.C. Schmidt, E.F. Hoerner, E.M. Milner, and C.A. Morehouse, Eds., American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, pp. 61-68.
Zemper, E.D. 1989. Injury rates in a national sample of college football teams: A two year prospective study. Physician and Sports Medicine Feb 1989.

Acknowledgements

The researchers for this project would like to thank the following companies and organizations for their support. Without their continued support this project would be impossible to complete.

Evaluation of Playing Surface Characteristicsof Various In-Filled Systems