With such ubiquitous use, synthetic turfs undergo rigorous laboratory testing to ensure safety, durability, and quality. From young children at their first game to Super Bowl football players, the turf their cleats dig into must be of the utmost quality. To ensure a high-level surface is provided for athletes of all classes, artificial grass fields must be submitted to a variety of wide-ranging tests.

The Lisport Test: Durability with Age
The first test we’ll discuss looks at how well a synthetic turf will hold up to the wear and tear competitive gameplay includes. This is done with what is called the Lisport or studded roll test.

In what’s reminiscent of cleat spikes, rounded studs protrude for a roller and are repeatedly pressed over the testing area. The specific section being tested will be moved horizontally to prevent the same spot from being pressed into. Two rollers will work at the same time, turning over at different speeds.

This test, simple in design, provides information on the durability of the turf design and the actual comprising blades. Generally speaking, about 20,000 laboratory turnovers represents 8 years of live use.

The GMAX Test: Shock Absorbency
In the competitive world of high-impact sports, shock absorbency is all too important at preventing injuries. For example, as recent media has placed more of a focus on sports related concussions, it is important for football field turf companies to know the shock absorbency of their synthetic turf. Overtime what once may have been a soft turf can become hard and do little to reduce player impact. The GMAX test, an essential for any synthetic turf, looks into just that.

A specialized hammer strikes a specific area of the synthetic turf. Once it strikes the turf, its acceleration and speed bouncing up are measured. The slower it moves, the more shock absorbent the turf is.

Various Other Component Tests
In addition to the Lisport and GMAX test, synthetic turf may undergo a variety of other laboratory tests. Here’s an itemized and brief list of those:

Infiltrometer Test: This laboratory test examines the drainage rate of a synthetic turf field. Specifically, it measures how many inches of water per hour a turf can successfully drain.

Tuft Bind: In this test, the force needed to pull a tuft of the synthetic turf is measured. It goes hand in hand with the Lisport test to look at durability.

Coefficient of Friction Test: More specific in nature, this test can examine how particular shoes perform on synthetic turf. For example, how much football cleats will wear down with use.

Abrasiveness Test: This test examines how a moving body slides across a synthetic turf. It looks at the balance and compromise between abrasion and traction.