AstroTurf: Redefining the world of Sports

AstroTurf was the first brand of artificial turf. Co-invented by James M. Faria and Robert T. Wright in 1964, it became popular as AstroTurf following its use at the Houston Astrodome, Texas. It was originally a short pile synthetic turf. Today, “AstroTurf” is used as a generic term for any kind of artificial turf.

AstroTurf is manufactured from synthetic materials like polypropylene and polyethylene. These synthetic fibres are lubricated with silicon, and the turf can be either sand-filled or sand-dressed. Rubber granules are also used to keep the fibres upright whilst providing the right level of shock absorbency. An expanded polyethylene base can be found in many artificial sports surfaces. It acts as a shock absorber and prevents injuries in players.  

Artificial sports surfaces have found a wide acceptance in a variety of sports. There are sports facilities that feature artificial sports pitches for playing as well as practising football, hockey, basketball, tennis, athletics, and many more. Some of the prime reasons for their popularity are their durability, resistance to intensive use, and the need for minimal maintenance. As these pitches can be used all through the year, they offer a good value for the money spent on their construction and installation.

The Astroturf designed for football offers the same playing characteristics as that of a natural grass sports surface. However, in case of  hockey , use of artificial turf has made the game faster, therefore players can try some new techniques like reverse stick trapping and hitting, which is not possible on natural grass sports fields. This has made the game more exciting for spectators. Also, the artificial grass turf offers cushioning to players. The players now feel more protected whilst sliding and falling on the synthetic surface.

An artificial sports turf can offer different playing characteristics. This is possible by varying the length of the pile and the density of the fibres. For instance, the artificial turf for hockey pitches has shorter pile when compared to football pitches.  AstroTurf can also be used for athletics tracks, where the surface consists of SBR granules blended with polyurethane binders in a special mixing machine. The mixture is then applied to the surface to create a track that is durable, porous, and consistently uniform. Some other variety of athletics tracks feature a rubber-bound base mat topped with multiple layers of coloured EPDM (ethylene propylene diene M-class) rubber granules encapsulated in a coloured polyurethane structural spray coating. These all-weather athletics tracks are slip resistant and therefore, offer more protection to the athletes