Abstract: A sports field has a stable, impermeable substrate, a water distributing layer provided over the substrate and an artificial turf layer over the water distributing layer. A bund defines a perimeter of the sports field and extends from the substrate to at least the height of the artificial turf layer. A drain channel having inlets at a height to communicate with the water distributing layer is provided such that water can flow from the water distributing layer into the drain channel and vice versa. As a result of this constructions, there is formed a containment, defined by the bund surrounding the field and by the substrate. Water can be held within the containment in the water distributing layer allowing for water attenuation and cooling of the sports field.

Abstract: The invention relates to a synthetic monofilament fiber for use in an artificial lawn, said synthetic fiber having a width greater than the thickness of the synthetic fiber and being provided with solid thickened parts at its free ends, and a central part between the thickened parts comprising a curved section and having a substantially uniform thickness, seen in transverse direction, the synthetic fiber having a thickness/width ratio such that the synthetic fiber can buckle locally upon being subjected to an external load. The invention further relates to an artificial lawn with a backing to which one or more synthetic fibers according to the invention are attached.

Abstract: A method of forming a substrate for a sports surface of a sports pitch includes the steps of: a) Agglomerating plastics materials; b) Granulating the agglomerated plastics materials to form granules having a predetermined range of sizes; c) In situ coating the granules with a binding material so that they form a fluent material; d) Forming a layer of the fluent material on the site of the sports pitch; and e) Setting the laid material such that the granules adhere where they contact each other to form a voided water permeable structure.

Abstract: A method of forming a substrate for a sports surface of a sports pitch includes the steps of: a) Agglomerating plastics materials; b) Granulating the agglomerated plastics materials to form granules having a predetermined range of sizes; c) In situ coating the granules with a binding material so that they form a fluent material; d) Forming a layer of the fluent material on the site of the sports pitch; and e) Setting the laid material such that the granules adhere where they contact each other to form a voided water permeable structure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an artificial turf suitable for sports fields including a substrate to which first artificial grass fibers are attached and a granular infill, which is provided between the first artificial grass fibers and which is made of a recyclable synthetic material. The invention also relates to an improved granular infill for use in an artificial turf suitable for sports fields.

Abstract: An artificial grass turf carpet comprises a ground structure having an upper surface and upstanding synthetic grass fibers attached to the ground structure, which synthetic grass fibers form a grass surface of the artificial grass turf. The carpet further has upstanding synthetic base layer fibers attached to the ground structure at positions between the upstanding synthetic grass fibers. The base layer fibers have a lower height than the grass fibers. The base layer fibers are positioned tight against one another and against neighboring grass fibers, so that a dense base layer is obtained above which the grass fibers extend. An artificial grass turf system includes such a carpet and preferably includes a thin, rubber-free infill layer on top of the base layer.

Abstract: An artificial fiber for use in an artificial grass sports field is disclosed wherein, seen in a transverse sectional direction of the fiber, at least part of the fiber is provided with a stiffness-enhancing portion extending in the longitudinal direction thereof. The artificial fiber includes at least two fiber flange portions, at least one fiber flange portion forming the stiffness-enhancing portion, while at least two fiber flange portions have a uniform thickness. The improved artificial fiber is less flexible and consequently exhibits less tendency to deform to a flat orientation, but does not increase the risk of injuries to players or have an adverse effect on the playing characteristics of the field. Also disclosed is an artificial grass lawn, suitable for sports fields, having a substrate to which one or more artificial fibers of the invention are attached.

Abstract: The invention relates to an artificial lawn, in particular for an artificial grass sports field comprising an artificial mat built up of a carrier to which artificial glass fibers are attached. The object of the invention is to provide a new type of artificial lawn, which in particular obviates the need to use an infill material, without this having an adverse effect on the playing characteristics of the sports field. According to the invention, the carrier is at least in part provided with at least one additional material component, which additional material component imposes a permanent volume increase on said part of the carrier under the influence of an external stimulus after being provided in the artificial mat.

Abstract: The present invention relates to synthetic fibers and artificial lawn comprising such a fibre. More particularly, the invention relates to grass-like monofilament type fibers having a curved cross section and an artificial grass lawn, especially an artificial grass sports field, comprising such a fibre. According to an aspect of the invention, a synthetic fibre is provided of the monofilament type for use in an artificial lawn, in particular an artificial sports lawn, which synthetic fibre has a curved cross section, wherein the synthetic fibre has a centre line arc length to maximum thickness of less than 8, preferably between 4.5 and 3.8, and even more preferably between 4.4 and 4.0. In an other aspect of the invention, a synthetic fibre is provided of the monofilament type for use in an artificial lawn, in particular an artificial sports lawn, which synthetic fibre has a curved cross section, wherein the circumferential surface of the fibre is provided with a wave shaped pattern.

Abstract: The invention relates to an artificial grass fiber in particular for use in an artificial mat for an artificial lawn, which artificial grass fiber is made of at least one synthetic material. The invention also relates to an artificial mat, in particular for use in an artificial grass sports field, which artificial mat is built up of a carrier to which at least artificial grass fibers according to the invention are attached. The object of the invention is therefore to provide an improved artificial grass fiber which on the one hand can be produced by means of the existing techniques and which on the other hand reduces the number of injuries on the field. According to the invention, the artificial grass fiber to that end furthermore comprises at least one additional material component, which additional material component imposes a permanent volume increase on the artificial grass fiber under the influence of an external stimulus after the artificial mat has been provided with the artificial grass fiber.

Abstract: An artificial fiber for use in an artificial grass sports field is disclosed wherein, seen in a transverse sectional direction of the fiber, at least part of the fiber is provided with a stiffness-enhancing portion extending in the longitudinal direction thereof. The artificial fiber includes at least two fiber flange portions, at least one fiber flange portion forming the stiffness-enhancing portion, while at least two fiber flange portions have a uniform thickness. The improved artificial fiber is less flexible and consequently exhibits less tendency to deform to a flat orientation, but does not increase the risk of injuries to players or have an adverse effect on the playing characteristics of the field. Also disclosed is an artificial grass lawn, suitable for sports fields, having a substrate to which one or more artificial fibers of the invention are attached.

Abstract: The invention relates to a composite artificial grass fiber for use in an artificial lawn, in particular an artificial grass sports field, which artificial grass fiber is made up at least of several monofilament fibers. The invention further relates to an artificial lawn, in particular an artificial grass sports field built up of a substrate to which composite artificial grass fibers according to the invention are attached. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a composite artificial grass fiber according to the invention, in particular for an artificial lawn, which comprises the steps of manufacturing several monofilament fibers and forming said several monofilament fibers into a composite artificial grass fiber.

Abstract: The invention relates to a synthetic fibre of the monofilament type for use in an artificial lawn, which synthetic fibre has a width greater than the thickness of the synthetic fibre. The invention also relates to an artificial lawn consisting at least of a backing to which one or more synthetic fibres according to the invention are attached. The object of the present invention is to prevent a weak synthetic fibre as mentioned above which remains prone to splitting and fracture and to provide an improved synthetic fibre for use in an artificial lawn which is sufficiently rigid yet flexible as well and which has the capacity to straighten again so as to be able to take up the varying loads during play, and which is also sufficiently wear-resistant and sliding-friendly, so that the fibre will less tend to assume a flat orientation or split or fracture, and which furthermore does not increase the risk of injury or have an adverse effect on the playing characteristics.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a synthetic fiber for use in an artificial grass sports field, including the steps of supplying a layer of synthetic material; and obtaining the synthetic fiber from the layer of synthetic material, wherein the layer of synthetic material comprises at least two layers of different synthetic materials, using a co-extrusion process. The invention also relates to such a synthetic fiber and to an artificial lawn suitable for sports fields, including a substrate to which synthetic fibers according to the invention have been attached.

Abstract: The invention relates to an artificial lawn, in particular an artificial grass sports field, comprising a substrate to which artificial grass fibres provided with additives are attached, which additives undergo a color change in response to an external stimulus. The object of the invention is to provide an artificial lawn as referred to in the introductory paragraph which is capable of displaying a range of colors in a simpler and more effective manner. According to the invention, the artificial grass fibres provided with an additive are attached to the substrate in the form of various groups of artificial grass fibres, each provided with a specific additive, wherein each specific additive of a group of artificial grass fibres undergoes a color change in response to a specific external stimulus.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for measuring the static and/or dynamic friction coefficient of a surface, in particular a natural or artificial grass surface, which device comprises a housing placed on supports, which is to be positioned on the surface to be examined; a rotatable shaft, which is vertically disposed in said housing; a body connected to the end of said shaft that faces towards the surface, which body comprises a contact surface which can be brought into contact with the surface to be examined; as well as measuring means for measuring, during operation, the torque caused by the friction between the surface to be examined and the contact surface of the rotating body. The object of the present invention is to provide a device for measuring the static and/or dynamic friction coefficient of a surface which provides a more reliable and reproducible measuring result and which is furthermore user-friendly and easy to transport.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining the values of stiffness and dampening, in particular of surfaces for sports fields. The invention furthermore relates to a device for carrying out the aforesaid method. The object of the present invention is to provide a method and a device for determining the values of stiffness and dampening of an artificial grass lawn which provide a reliable measuring result in a quick and efficient manner, which device is furthermore user-friendly and easy to transport.

Abstract: The invention relates to an artificial grass lawn suitable for sports fields, which artificial grass lawn consists of a base layer, on which first artificial grass fibres are disposed. In accordance with the invention, the artificial grass lawn is characterized in that said base layer comprises a material having damping properties, which is present thereon and/or therein. Thus the properties of a natural grass field are approximated very closely, and also the style of play on the sports field is positively affected. Furthermore, the artificial grass field thus obtained is substantially free of maintenance and of injury.

Abstract: A device for measuring the static and/or dynamic friction coefficient of a surface, in particular a natural or artificial grass surface, in which the device includes a frame to which a first arm is pivotally connected with one side, which first arm is pivotally connected at its other side to a bar fitted with a body having a surface which can be placed into contact with the surface to be measured, wherein the bar is furthermore connected to an element for exerting thereon a torque which acts about the pivot point thereon, and wherein loading elements are furthermore present for exerting a force on the bar in the direction of the surface to be measured, wherein the bar is furthermore provided with an element for measuring forces occurring in the bar, which element is present at a point located between the pivot point with the first arm and the side which is capable of carrying said body.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a foil of synthetic material composed of a first synthetic compound and a second synthetic compound, in which the first synthetic compound consists of a polymer and the second synthetic compound consists of a plastomer. The invention also relates to a synthetic fibre and to an artificial lawn suitable for sports fields, consisting of a substrate to which synthetic fibres according to the invention are fixed. Surprisingly, it has become apparent that when the fibres are according to the invention made from a combination of synthetic materials in which the first synthetic compound is a polymer and the second synthetic compound is a plastomer, the fibres will only exhibit a very minor any tendency to split, or even no such tendency at all, not even after stretching, also in the case of very intensive use in an artificial lawn.