AAA Testing

The Gmax test is the most commonly used method of measuring surface shock attenuation in the United States. A value of 200 is the limit to which risk of impact injury increases significantly. The Gmax test is primarily used for determination of overall safety with respect to direct impact between athlete and the playing field. Note You can not properly asses a field with this test alone.

Lisport XL testing is a way of simulating the wear a surface will go through. The machine simulates approx. 8 years of wear to help demonstrate will a system last and still perform this is a crucial aspect of studying a system.

Vertical deformation is the depth that the player’s foot would depress into the surface during movement. A surface that is soft, or “spongy” will not provide the stability required of athlete performance and could stress lower extremity muscles. A surface with too little elasticity could result in higher impact and energy transfer into lower extremities.

Rotational Resistance, or Traction Testing, is the measure of how well a cleated foot planted in the turf will maintain controlled contact with the surface. A low rotational resistance result suggests less traction, while a high result indicates excess grip between the athlete and the surface. Results that are too high or low demonstrate potential limits to the players ability in maintaining effective traction. This can also present higher risk to potential lower leg and knee injuries where slipping or lack of free mobility can occur.

This the level of of infill that is in the turf. This amount should be prescribed from the manufacturer and maintain to this level throughout the lifecycle of the surface.

Energy Restitution is a measure of energy returned to the athlete. A firmer surface will transmit more energy to the athlete, while a softer surface will require more work for the athlete to push off from the surface, which can contribute to fatigue. A higher energy restitution value indicates more energy transference.

Head Injury Criterion (HIC) testing measures shock attenuation, or the ability for the surface to absorb an impact as related to direct head to surface impacts. HIC testing has been adapted for sports surfaces on which high impact sports are played. The fall height at which serious injury can potentially occur as a result of a head impact is referred to as the Critical Fall Height (CFH).

Free Pile Height is the exposed pile from the top of the infill to the top of the fiber.