Athletic Fields

Can a geosynthetic be a sports star? The last couple of decades have seen tremendous growth in school athletic programs across the nation. The overwhelming demand has led to unprecedented use of existing sports fields. The result was a decline in the quality of these field surfaces due to the overuse. As such, existing stadiums needed to be retrofitted with newer, tougher surfaces. It also became obvious that new facilities were needed with playing surfaces that could withstand the frequent use.

It seems we are living in the “Golden Age” of school athletic field construction in the USA. Athletic facilities can serve as a gathering place for the community, hosting events and activities beyond sporting events, such as fundraisers and various community events. They can also provide an income source through rentals. They are a source of local pride for the community and are a significant investment in the health and well-being of students.

In response, innovative companies introduced more stable and durable natural grass and synthetic grass playing surface systems. These systems rely heavily on efficient and effective drainage to provide optimum performance. Athletic fields are expected to drain quicker and be ready for use sooner than in the past. Separating the select fill from the subgrade and providing stabilization for the playing surface are also important design elements. To meet these exacting requirements, athletic field construction companies turned to the proven performance of geotextiles and geosynthetics.

If your company is part of this growing industry, US Fabrics can serve as a one-stop-shop for the geosynthetics used on these projects:

• Needle Punched Nonwovens for Drainage
• Woven Stabilization and Separation Geotextiles
• Drainboards
• Woven Coated Non-Permeable Liners

The most commonly used geotextiles for sports fields are lightweight, needle-punched, nonwovens for drainage and a woven separation geotextiles. The most common geosynthetics are AWD Strip Drains and Woven Coated Impermeable Liners.