Optimizing Artificial Turf Surfaces

Artificial turf has various components that can be altered to change its mechanical properties, such as stiffness and traction. Research has shown that optimal values of these properties exist for athletes to perform optimally and reduce the risk of injury. However, the majority of research on sport surfaces has been conducted on adult male athletes, and there is a lack of information on the needs of female and youth athletes. In addition, routine maintenance is required to maintain the mechanical properties of the surface. Wearable sensors and machine learning techniques have the potential to provide real-time quantification of field properties, reducing the burden on field managers. The partnership with FieldTurf aims to determine the optimal properties for female and youth players and develop real-time monitoring to ensure these properties are maintained. The overall objectives of the research program are to optimize artificial turf surfaces via two specific goals: i) determine the influence that surface stiffness and traction have on athletic performance and biomechanics of female and youth athletes and ii) develop algorithms that can quantify the mechanical properties of artificial turf surfaces using wearable sensors.

Faculty Supervisor:

Bill Wannop

Student:

Partner:

FieldTurf

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Construction and infrastructure; Manufacturing

University:

University of Calgary

Program: