Artificial Turf: An Outlook

Mayur Basuk* & Amit Sengupta, Scientist

W ool Research Association, Thane, Maharashtra, India
(Attached to Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India)
*All correspondence should be addressed to mayurtex.basuk@gmail.com

Abstract
Technical textiles are divided into 12 segments & Sportech is one of them. Artificial Turf, a
Sports accessories/functional Sportech product comes under the Sportech segment. In
India, Sportech is growing rapidly & becoming popular. Artificial turf is a surfacing material
used to imitate grass. It is generally used in areas where grass cannot grow, or in areas
where grass maintenance is impossible or undesired. Artificial turf is used mainly in sports
stadiums and arenas, but can also be found on playgrounds and in other spaces. The
present article deals with the history of artificial turf and various aspects like features,
components, manufacturing process, future trends & dem and, scenario of artificial turf
usage in India etc.
Keywords: Artificial Turf, Components, Manufacturing process, Advantages &
Disadvantages, Market scenario, Future trends.

1. Introduction:
Artificial turf or synthetic turf is a man -made surface manufactured from synthetic materials
with appearance similar to natural grass. It is used for making world -class surfaces for
playing sports (Hockey, Soccer, Baseball, Tennis, Ski and snowboard) which are normally
played on grass [1]. The hockey stadiums accou nt for most of the consumption of the
artificial turf in India. It is also used in indoors or outdoors for landscaping: Rooftops,
Balconies, Atriums, Home and Corporate Lawns, Hotels and Resorts, Club Houses, Airports,
Jogging / W alking Tracks, Shopping Ma lls, Traffic Islands, Road Medians & Kid's play area
etc.
Synthetic grass was first introduced in the 1960s for professional sports teams, and is now
widely used in all levels of sports for indoor and outdoor fields. Artificial turf is considered
a safe alternative to natural grass; an arid environment or one where there is little natural
light are examples, turf has no direct harmful effects to pets or children. The advantages of
artificial turf are that it doesn't need water, fertilizer or mowing. It hold s up to wear and tear
far better than natural grass. Artificial turf can withstand significantly more use than natural
grass and can therefore be used much more frequently. This allows sports ground owners
to generate more income from their facilities. Tur f generally lasts at least a decade. Many
are dog durable and gopher proof (there are no roots to eat). It's safe for children and pets
with regards to not twisting ankles in gopher holes. It's eas y to clean with a hose and doesn't
attract bugs and pests. It can't get grass stains and it won't have bare or brown spots. Some
artificial turf s ystems allow for the integration of fiber -optic fibers into the turf. This would
allow for lighting or advertisements to be directly embedded in a playing surface, or ru nway
lighting to be embedded in artificial landing surfaces for aircraft [2, 3].
However, artificial turf does have few disadvantages. It tends to get hotter than natural
grass in the mid-day sun and materials on the surface don't break down as easily. The
production and transportation of artificial turf releases more greenhouse gases than the
maintenance of natural turf. It will need to get replaced and disposed of in a landfill since
most types cannot be recycled. Despite the advances in technology, less expensive types
of artificial turf and infill still may not have as much give as grass. Several studies have
shown that the artificial turfs have a higher injury rate than grass on play grounds. The new
manufacturing and installation procedures have result ed in lowering of injury rates than on
natural grass. Although it is still more costly than natural turf in the short term, the cost has
come down as technologies have improved, making artificial turf a realistic option for
homeowners today [4, 5].

Background History
Artificial turf has been manufactured since the early 1960s, and was originally produced by
Chemstrand Company (later renamed Monsanto Textiles Company). It is produced using
manufacturing processes similar to those used in the carpet industry. Since the 1960s, the
product has been improved through new designs and better materials. The newest s ynthetic
turf products have been chemically treated to be resistant to ultraviolet rays, and the
materials have been improved to be more wear -resistant, less abrasive, and, for some
applications, more similar to natural grass.
In the early 1950s, the tufting process w as invented. A large number of needles insert
filaments of fiber into a fabric backing.
Then a flexible adhesive like polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride is used to bind the fibers to
the backing. This is the procedure used for the majority of residential a nd commercial
carpets. A tufting machine can produce a length of carpet that is 15 ft (4.6 m) wide and more
than 3 ft (1 m) long in one minute. In the early 1960s, the Ford Foundation, as part of its
mission to advance human achievement, asked science and industry to develop s ynthetic
playing surfaces for urban spaces. They hoped to give urban children year -round play areas
with better play quality and more uses than the traditional concrete, asphalt, and compacted
soil of small urban playgrounds. In 1964, the first installation of the new playing surface
called Chem grass was installed at Moses Brown School in Providence, Rhode Island.
In 1966, artificial turf was first used in professional major -league sports and gained its most
famous brand name when the Astrodome was opened in Houston, Texas. By the first game
of the 1966 season, artificial turf was installed, and the brand name Chem grass was
changed to Astro Turf.
Artificial turf also found its way into the applications for which it was originally conce ived,
and artificial turf was installed at many inner -city playgrounds. Some schools and recreation
centers took advantage of artificial turfs properties to convert building roofs into "grass y"
play areas.
After the success of the Astrodome installation, t he artificial turf market expanded with other
manufacturers entering the field, most notably the 3M (Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing)
Company with its version known as Tartan Turf. The widespread acceptance of artificial turf
also led to the boom in closed and domed stadium construction around the world.
In the early 1970s, artificial turf came under scrutiny due to safety and quality concerns.
Some installations, often those done by the number of companies that sprang up to cash in
on the trend, began to deteriorate. The turf would wear too quickly, seams would come
apart, and the top layer would soon degrade from exposure to sunlight. Athletes and team
doctors began to complain about the artificial surfaces, and blamed the turf for friction burns
and blisters. Natural turf yields to the force of a blow, but an arm or leg driven along
the unyielding surface of artificial turf is more likely to be injured. Since artificial turf does
not have the same cooling effects as natural turf, surface temperatures ca n be 30° warmer
above the artificial surfaces. Baseball players claimed that a ball would bounce harder and
in less predictable ways, and some soccer players claimed that the artificial surface makes
the ball roll faster, directly affecting the game. Howev er, the National Football League and
the Stanford Research Institute declared in 1974 that artificial turf was not a health hazard
to professional football players, and its use continued to spread.
In the 1990s, biological turf began to make a comeback whe n a marketing of nostalgia in
professional sport resulted in the re -emergence of outdoor stadiums. Many universities —
responding to the nostalgia, advances in grass biology, and the fears about increased risk
of injury on artificial turf —began to reinstall natural turf systems. However, natural turf
systems continue to require sunlight and maintenance (mowing, watering, fertilizing,
aerating), and the surface may deteriorate in heavy rain. Artificial turf offers a surface that
is nearly maintenance-free, does not require sunlight, and has a drainage s ystem. Recent
developments in the artificial turf industry are new systems that have simulated blades of
grass supported by an infill material so the "grass" does not compact. The resulting product
is closer to the look and feel of grass than the older, rug -like s ystems. Because of these
factors, artificial turf will probably continue to be a turf surface option for communities,
schools, and professional sports teams.
2. Components of Artificial Turf:
Basic components of artificial turf are as follows:
§ Pile Fibre - The grass like piles are non-abrasive and soft to touch. It is made of either
PP/PE or nylon/nylon 6.6, which is custom extruded into a monofilament ribbon form. The
pile fibre has to allow for smooth ball roll and bounce, support non -directional foot traction,
allow for water permeability and should have the correct balance of strength, elasticity and
stiffness to withstand the wear and tear of regular usage.
§ Backing Fabric - The material to which surface fibres are attached to form the underside
of the artificial turf surface. The backing has to permit water to flow through the fabric
readily.
§ Shock-Absorbing Foam – It provides cushioning for running or falling athletes. The foam
is made of a closed-cell polymer alloy like polyurethane, typically 1/2 inch in height and
perforated for vertical drainage.
§ Supporting Base – It supports the load placed on the entire structure, typically a 2 -feet
or 3- feet layer of asphalt or concrete Install ation and maintenance are very crucial for the
performance of Artificial Turf. For ground installations, a good quality sub -base is very
important.

Fig 1: Components of Artificial Turf

The pile fibres are knitted directly into the backing using flat -bed Raschel knitting machines
which are between 4.5 m to 5 m wide to form a mechanically strong and stable structure.
The sewing threads which are used are high -strength, weather resistant and pigmented to
exactly match the colour of the turf.
3. Raw Materials:
The quality of the raw materials is crucial to the performance of turf s ystems. Almost
anything used as a carpet backing has been used for the backing material, from jute to
plastic to polyester. High quality artificial turf uses polyester tire cord fo r the backing.
The fibers that make up the blades of "grass" are made of nylon or polypropylene and can
be manufactured in different ways. The nylon blades can be produced in thin sheets that
are cut into strips or extruded through molds to produce fibers with a round or oval cross -
section. The extruded product results in blades that feel and act more like biological grass.
Cushioning s ystems are made from rubber compounds or from polyester foam. Rubber tires
are sometimes used in the composition of the rub ber base, and some of the materials used
in backing can come from plastic or rubber rec ycling programs. The thread used to sew the
pads together and also the top fabric panels has to meet the same criteria of strength,
color retention, and durability as th e rest of the s ystem. Care and experience must also be
applied to the selection of the adhesives used to bond all the components together.

4. Types of artificial grass:

q Type according to infill content:

(i) Unfilled: Unfilled pitches were the first type of s ystem implemented for sport. They had
short pile height, were dense in quantity and had no infill material. They were often made
of nylon, which meant the prototypes were often tough and abrasive. Partly due to the
abrasiveness, watered unfilled f ields were developed and have since been popular for elite
levels of hockey. The water is applied through an irrigation system to the surface
immediately before play, and it reduces the player -to-surface friction, modifies the speed of
the hockey ball and cools the surface in hot weather. It can require a lot of water to maintain
the playing characteristics, during a match or training session. Due to the cost of the high -
density unfilled carpet, required irrigation s ystems, and water, unfilled carpet techno logy is
now focused on producing non-watered unfilled carpet that can replicate the playing
characteristics of watered fields. The key change is from abrasive nylon fibre to softer
polyethylene yarn. Several such polyethylene -based installations are being trailed in
Australia.
(ii) Dressed: Dressed systems are a derivative of the sand -filled s ystem, and intermediate
in properties and playing characteristics between the traditional filled and unfilled carpets.
They can have either a shorter, denser pile than the standard filled s ystem (with a reduced
quantity of sand fill of about 60% of the fibre height) which is considered suitable for hockey,
soccer (training), touch rugby, lacrosse and cricket (fielding practice). the longer pile (35 -
65mm) used for soccer , rugby, Australian rules football and cricket, which is dressed with
sand, rubber granules or both to within about 15 -20mm of the top of the fibre.
(iii) Filled: W ith filled artificial grass s ystems, the artificial grass fibres or blades are fully
supported or stabilized by the addition of a filling material, such as sand, clay & rubber
granules, or a mix of sand and rubber granules. These carpets are marginally less expensive
than non-filled s ystems because the pile density can be reduced due to the sand fill, which
is normally taken to within 5 -6mm of the fibre tips. The sand and fibres combine to form the
characteristics of the playing surface. Artificial grass surfaces that are filled with sand only
are generally suitable for hockey, tennis, lawn bowls, touch rugby, lacrosse, and soccer
(training) and multifunction use. See Section 1.6 for more details on sport specific
requirements.

q Types according to pile height:

§ Short-pile turf
(i) Unfilled: High-density of fibres and used predominantly for cr icket pitches (either 8, 10
or 12mm in pile height, or for elite level hockey pitches generally 10 -12mm). The unfilled
hockey pitches have, until now, had to be kept wet to improve foot traction, ball speed and
heat suppression, but suppliers are now respo nding to the call from the International Hockey
Federation to develop a dr y unfilled carpet that can perform to elite level standard.
(ii) Dressed: Nominally 10-13mm high with medium -pile density, sand-dressed carpets are
a hybrid development midway between sand -filled and elite unfilled pitches. Becoming
popular in Australia for hockey, dressed carpets (sand filled to approximately 60% of the
pile height) are also suitable for lacrosse, and for training for soccer, Australian rules
football, touch rugby and cricket (fielding practice).

§ Medium-pile turf
(i) Filled: These carpets are in the range of 20 - 35mm and have traditionally bee n the hard-
wearing sand-filled carpets used for hockey, tennis, lawn bowls and for training level
activities for a variety of other sports.
(ii) Dressed: An interesting and recent development is the approval of soccer pitches in
Europe that have sand infil l and a shock pad instead of rubber granule infill and no shock
pad. Because of the lack of rubber granule infill, the pile height can be lower than the typical
third generation dressed pitch. This product may be similar to the new Australian Football
League (AFL) and Cricket Australia -approved artificial grass surface, and might be the first
example of a hybrid design that is close to meeting both AFL and Federation Internationale
de Football Association (FIFA) specifications.

§ Long-pile turf
(i) Dressed: Long-pile turf has long blades of fibre similar in height to some natural turf
playing surfaces. The long fibres (40 - 65mm in length) provide cushioning and allow for a
great amount of infill to be integrated into the pitch adding to the shock absorben cy and
force reduction characteristics of the ground, and plays more like grass. These fibres can
be monofilament (single fibre) or multi -ended filament yarns (brush-like at the tip), and are
proving to be popular for soccer, rugby, Australian rules footba ll/cricket and golf. The pitch
infill is comprised of a sand layer at the base with, typically, (rec ycled) rubber granules
above the sand layer. The total infill height is generally between one half and two thirds of
the pile height. Some sports (eg. rugby) may also need to have a shock pad under the ‘turf’.
The shortest of the long -pile turfs (35 – 40 mm) are targeted at Australian rules football and
cricket (outfield) usage, and provide an ‘acceptable’ surface for some competitive soccer
and hockey (lower levels of competition and school usage). A 55 – 65 mm pile height is the
recommended soccer turf height, whilst rugby recommends 65 mm, often with a shock pad
as well. Refer Appendix 8 for summary table. The latest development with long pile turf is
the development of even longer fibre carpet (80 -85mm, with approximately 60mm of infill
material). This is being hailed as the first suitable artificial grass s ystem for athletics field
events including hammer, shot put, discus and javelin [6].

5. The Manufacturing Process:

Artificial grass carpet is generally produced in one of two ways:
(i) Tufting is the most common type of manufacture where the fibre is tufted into a primary
backing cloth, normally made from woven polypropylene or urethane, and the individ ual tufts
are anchored by the application of a latex based secondary backing material. These backing
layers also contribute to the dimensional and structural stability of the carpet.
(ii) Needle-punching is where the fibre in the pile forms both the pile s tructure and the
majority of the backing cloth. The fibres are needled into a flat primary cloth, then secondary
needled to pull through and angle the fibre to a felt like structure of the desired quality and
configuration of pile. Artificial grass can als o be produced through knitting and weaving
methods (used for some bowls carpets), but is rarely used because of its greater expense
[6].
The ‘grass’ part of a turf system is made with the same tufting techniques used in the
manufacture of carpets. Generall y extruding, knitting, stitch bonding, coating and tufting
technologies are involved in artificial turf making.
1. The first step is to blend the proprietary ingredients together in a hopper. Dyes and
chemicals are added to give the turf its tradition al green color and to protect it from the
ultraviolet rays from the sun.
2. After the batch has been thoroughly blended, it is fed into a large steel mixer. The
batch is automatically mixed until it has a thick, taffy -like consistenc y.
3. The thickened liquid is then fed into an extruder, and exits in a long, thin strand of
material.
4. The strands are placed on a carding machine and spun into a loose rope. The loose
ropes are pulled, straightened, and woven into yarn. The nylon yarn is then wound onto
large spools.
5. The yarn is then heated to set the twisted shaped.
6. Next, the yarn is taken to a tufting machine. The yarn is put on a bar with skewers (a
reel) behind the tufting machine. It is then fed through a tube leading to th e tufting needle.
The needle pierces the primary backing of the turf and pushes the yarn into the loop. A
looper, or flat hook, seizes and release the loop of nylon while the needle pulls back up; the
backing is shifted forward and the needle once more pie rces the backing further on. This
process is carried out by several hundred needles, and several hundred rows of stitches are
carried out per minute. The nylon yarn is now a carpet of artificial turf.
7. The artificial turf carpet is now rolled under a dispenser that spreads a coating
of latex onto the underside of the turf. At the same time, a strong secondary backing is also
coated with latex. Both of these are then rolled onto a marriage roller, which forms them
into a sandwich and seals them togeth er.
8. The artificial turf is then placed under heat lamps to cure the latex.
9. The turf is fed through a machine that clips off any tufts that rise above its uniform
surface.
10. Then the turf is rolled into large v/lengths and packaged. The r olls are then shipped to
the wholesaler.

5. Installation:
Artificial turf installation and maintenance is as important as its construction.
1. The base of the installation, which is either concrete or compacted soil, must be
leveled by a bulldozer and then smoothed by a steam roller. Uneven surfaces will still be
evident once the turf is supplied.
2. For outdoor applications, intricate drainage s ystems must be installed, since the
underlying surface can absorb little, if any, rainwater.
3. Turf s ystems can be either filled or unfilled. A filled s ystem is designed so that once
it is installed; a material such as crumbled cork, rubber pellets, or sand (or a mixture) is
spread over the turf and raked down in between the fibers. The material helps support the
blades of fiber, and also provides a surface with some give, that feels more like the soil
under a natural grass surface. Filled systems have some limitations, however. Filling
material like cork may break down or the filling ma terial can become contaminated with dirt
and become compacted. In either case the blades are no longer supported. Maintenance
may require removing and replacing all of the fill.

Fig. 2 Different requirement of grass properties for different sports

Proper installation is vital for guarantee a long lifespan for artificial turf. Proper drainage is
needed before the turf installation. A layer of good draining collection should be laid down
and compressed below the turf for safe installation. The turf is rol l out, super glued with
special bonding agent at line of ground with long steel shafts. Expert installation is
suggested for long-lasting constanc y supplier that exactly prepares a site may have more
fee – but the additional price is sound value it. Specia l type of sand is also used bnot give
as much of a soften feel underneath your foot. The infill helps grip down the turf and stops
creases as well as provides a light barricade to make sure a longer life in support of the
backing. Infill is worth the funds if someone’s home turf gets a bunch of use, chiefly from
children playing. However, it is not value the expenditure if the artificial grass is just for
demonstration. There is a considerable straight deal required with artificial turf. Conversely,
greater than the life of an artificial lawn, the cost can be recouped from side to side repairs
savings. Normally artificial turf lasts more than 20 years with suitable maintenance and
potentially up to 30 years. So many dealers offer warranties of 8 years or mor e. The majority
varieties of turf have a covering to guard against UV rays and put a stop to fading. Blustery
weather is not bean anxious since the turf is secured to the ground. During midday straight
sun, the grass may feel warm to the feel. Certain infi ll may decrease heat absorption [7].

Fig 3: Installation of Artificial Turf

6. Quality Control
The standards for artificial turf used in football grounds are governed by FIFA. It specifies
various ball / surface and player / surface tests for these turfs and certifies as FIFA
recommended 1 Star and 2 Star. 1 Star is mainly for recreational, community and municipal
use while 2 Star for artificial turf designed specifically for the playing characteristics of
professional football. Both the FIFA recomm ended 1 Star and 2 Star have to go through a
series of stringent laborator y and field tests for getting the FIFA certificate. The International
Hockey Federation (FIH) has developed standards for Hockey turfs. These products are
tested and verified by a FIH accredited laboratory. Because of the high use of artificial turf
and the constant scrutiny by professional athletes, new products must undergo a number of
tests as they are being developed. In 1994, the American Society for Testing and Materials
(ASTM) published a list of standard methods for the testing of s ynthetic turf systems. It
contains over two dozen tests for the properties of turf systems.
As part of ASTM's testing, the backing fabric is tested for strength. The force it takes to
separate the individual tufts or blades is also measured. In tufted turf, this test usually
measures the strength of the adhesive involved. To test how resistant the turf is to abrasion,
the ASTM recommends testing the fabric by running it under an abrasive head made of
spring steel, while another ASTM test measures how abrasive the turf will be to the players.
The ASTM also has tests that measure the shock absorbenc y of the turf system, and there
are also tests to see how well the turf stands up during the course of a ga me or even
prolonged tournament play.
Several quality checks are performed during the manufacturing process, as well. For
example, according to AstroTurf Incorporated, the following quality checks are performed:
19 checks for the raw materials, eight check s for extrusion, six checks for unfinished fabric,
and 14 checks for finished fabric.
As per FIFA, Laboratory test requirements are as follows:

 Vertical ball rebound

 Angle ball rebound
 Ball roll
 Shock Absorption
 Vertical Deformation
 Rotational Resistance
 Linear Friction - Stud ,Deceleration Value
 Linear Friction - Stud ,Slide Value
 Skin / surface friction
 Skin abrasion
 Surfaces for Outdoor Sports Areas - Exposure of Synthetic Turf to Simulated W ear
(EN 15306)

Ø Artificial W eathering
§ Artificial turf - Colour change
§ Pile yarn (s) - Tensile strength
§ Polymeric infill -Colour change
§ Joint strength - after immersion in hot water
Ø Joint strength: stitched seams
§ Joint strength – unaged
§ Joint strength - after immersion in hot water
Ø Joint strength: Bonded seams
§ Joint strength – unaged
§ Tuft withdrawal
§ Tensile strength of shockpads and e -layers (if supplied as part of system)
§ W ater permeability
§ Stabilising infill

7. Byproducts/Waste
Defected artificial turf batches are discarded as are nylon yarn that is damaged. Completed
turf is generally rec ycled, but not reused as artificial turf. The earth that is cleared from the
installation site is transported to a landfill and discarded. Older turf that has been worn
down is typically rec ycled.
The arguments about the environmental impact of artificial versus biological turf continue.
Both create large amount of water run -off, adding to sewage problems. Chemical processes
are used in the manufacture of raw materials for artificial turf, but most biological grass in
stadium applications requires chemicals in the form of fertilizer and pesticides for
maintenance.

8. Cost analysis of synthetic grass Vs natural grass

Approximate cost analysis of s ynthetic grass Vs natural grass (Figures bas ed on 80,000
square foot fields and average costs and usage rates across North America) are given
below:
Variables Natural Grass Artificial Turf
$1.9 per sq. ft. x 80,000 sq. $4 per sq. ft. x 80,000 sq. ft.
Base preparation
ft. = $150,000 = $320,000
$2.75 per sq. ft. . x 80,000 sq. $4.75 per sq. ft. . x 80,000
Materials
ft. = $220,000 sq. ft. = $380,000
$20,000 x 10 years =
Maintenance $5,000 x 10 years = $50,000
$200,000
Total $570,000 $750,000
25 hours x 25 weeks x 10 68 hours x 44 weeks x 10
Scheduling Possibilities
years = 6,250 hours years = 29,920 hours
Average Cost Per Hour of Use $91.20 $25.07

9. Indian Market Scenario of Artificial Turf

There are no manufacturers of artificial turf in India. The demand is met entirely through
imports. Artificial turfs are imported under the HS code 570330.
The major importers of Astro-turf (fabrics) are Inderjit Mehta Construction Pvt. Ltd
(representing Polytan Sportstattenbau GmbH), Suravaram Marketing Pvt. Ltd (Licensee of
Field Turf - Tarkett in India).
The hockey stadiums account for most of the consumption of artificial turf in India. It also
use in indoor or outdoor landscaping. The key market driver is the government expenditure
to improve the hockey infrastructure. The Commonwealth games and Hockey Olympics,
which are hosted in India, are expected to increase the short -term demand of astro-turfs in
India. In the long term, various Government schemes providing subsidy to universities /
colleges for lying down of artificial turfs augur well for this industry. Other than sports, the
usage of artificial turf for landscaping is increasing on account of increasing awareness and
acceptance of the product and also because of the rising labour costs in maintaining natural
grass lawns.
More than 1000 installations of astro-turf are already complete in India [8]. There are 20
artificial turf hockey pitches in all over India. The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has
approved laying of 12 new astroturfs at the cost of Rs. 42 crore with a view to creat e better
facilities for hockey in the countr y. Locations for new astroturfs include one at Singpura
(Baramullah, J&K) and tribal pockets like Rajnandgaon (Chhattisgarh), Hazaribagh
(Jharkhand) and Kokrajhar (Assam). At another eight places, the work for es tablishment of
Astroturf is at different stages of the completion. Besides this, the work relating to
replacement of old astroturfs at NIS, Patiala and Kolkata is underway. The proposal for
setting up of another four astroturfs is in the pipeline. By the e nd of 2009, India had 30
astroturfs spread across the countr y for the promotion of hockey. Hence, on an average, 6 -
8 astro-turfs are being laid ever y year In India. In addition, 3 -4 s ynthetic athletic tracks are
being laid in India every year. The cost of laying an artificial turf for a hockey field is
approximately Rs 3.5 crore which usually lasts for a minimum of ten years assuming proper
maintenance. The cost of an 8-lane s ynthetic athletics track is around Rs 2.5 crore.
Technical textiles account for 60 % of the cost. The demand for artificial turfs / s ynthetic
tracks is likely to double in the next 5 years as a result of strong government focus on
developing the sports infrastructure of India. The Indian artificial turf market size is expected
to increase to around 280 MT by 2012-13. Hence, in value terms, the market size of the
artificial turfs market in India is expected to increase to around Rs.52 crore by 2012 -13 [9].
The market size has been increased by 20% to account for usage in landscaping. The
demand for artificial turfs / synthetic tracks is likely to double in the next 5 years as a result
of strong government focus on developing the sports infrastructure of India.
The Indian artificial turf market size is expected to increase from 140 MT in 200 7-08 to
around 280 MT by 2012 -13.
No inflationar y increase has been assumed for the price of artificial turfs. Hence, in value
terms, the market size of the artificial turfs market in India is expected to increase from Rs
26 crore in 2007-08 to around 52 crore by 2012-13. [10]
The current and future forecast of artificial turf consumption is given below: -
Artificial turf 2007-08 2012-13
Quantity 140 MT 280 MT
Value Rs 26 crore Rs 52 crore

10. Concluding remarks & Future Trends

The use of artificial turf for sport surfaces has seen an enormous increase in recent years.
The reasons for this are various and artificial turf is increasingly being used for soccer
applications, especially with the development of the so -called `third-generation' artificial turf
consisting of artificial fibres tufted on a backing with an infill of sand and rubber granules.
Many good results have already been obtained with fibres of the right geometry, a good
behavior in resilience and resistance to fibril lation. The temperature profile during sliding is
very important for the comfort of the player and avoiding burn wounds in combination with
other characteristics of the artificial turf, such as shock absorption, energy restitution and
quality of the yarns.
For the future, a better insight will be obtained in the relationship between the fiber structure
and resilience and resistance to fibrillation. This will lead to possible developments of
polymers with better properties, may be used in multilayered artifi cial grass blades, and
much better control of the processing of these polymers.
The future generation of artificial turf fields will be based on two types of fibers, one that is
standing upwards and another that will be constructed of crimped fibers withou t infill of
rubber particles. This will increase the demand for playing on artificial turf fields [9, 10].
The engineering and design of both artificial and biological turf systems are constantly
improving. As new stadiums are built, the owners and archite cts strive to give a more old-
fashioned feel to the structures, which usually means no dome or a dome that allows the
use of biological turf.
Recent installations of artificial turf have included new advancements that serve both
economic and environmental needs. Large holding tanks are built beneath outdoor
installations. The water that runs off the surface is held in the tanks, and used later for
watering practice fields or nearby lawns.
Another recent development has been a hybrid of filled turf and biolo gical grass. Once
artificial turf is installed, it is filled not with rubber or sand, but with soil. Grass seed is then
planted in the soil, nurtured and grown to a height above that of the artificial turf. The
resulting combination combines the feel, look , and comfort of biological turf with the
resilience and resistance to tearing and divots of artificial turf. Of course, it also requires
all the maintenance of both systems, and it is not suitable for most indoor applications.
One should stay side by side of developments regarding ultimate recycling of artificial turf
fields as currently installed products come to the end of their useful life. If manufacturers
begin to rec ycle their fields, he should investigate to be certain these claims can be
confirmed and, if so, end of life field management could become a vital choice stand3. It
would still be meaningful to have assess and compare potential impacts resulting from
particular maintenance actions, such as pesticide use, gasoline consumption, etc. Even
without a full cost comparison, it might be possible to identify ways to reduce the impacts
field maintenance for both natural turf and artificial turf fields.
Artificial turf is an imported product and there is no manufacturer available till now in India.
So there are ample of opportunities for Indian entrepreneurs to enter in this field. It might
be possible to identify ways to reduce the impacts of field maintenance for both natural turf
and artificial turf fields even without a full cost comparison. Further, much research is
required on the subject for developing the innovative products and design.

Acknowledgement: The authors are grateful to Director and Dy. Director, W ool Research
Association, Thane, Maharashtra, India for giving valuable inputs, guidan ce and support.