Thursday, July 31, 2014

By Annabelle Holman


With the improvements in technology and increased demand for surfaces that can withstand heavy use, companies have managed to develop various solutions. One of the solutions is artificial grass, which is made from synthetic fibers but made resemble natural grass. Its ability to withstand heavy usage more frequently has seen some fields with natural turf being redone with the product. The product requires minimum maintenance hence making it attractive in terms of maximizing profits to owners of playgrounds.

The advantages that this product has are too many to be matched by natural turf. Maintenance can be hectic because it includes many activities like trimming, fertilizing, and irrigation. This product eliminates the need for these activities and can also be used in stadiums with a complete or partial cover at the top. Various playgrounds like hockey fields and golf courses are the major places of application. Today domestic uses like backyard and lawn installations are common.

Artificial turf does not have benefits only, there are some shortcomings associated with it too. The limited life is the first shortcoming. When compared to natural turf, these synthetic fibers cannot last for a very long period despite the fact that they can support heavy use. The fibers also need to be kept clean and healthy through frequent cleaning.

There are also increased safety concerns associated with the use of fake turf. First, injuries sustained due to friction with the fibers seem to be more severe than they should. Toxic chemicals are also released by the infill into the atmosphere and to players. Manufacturers have responded to these complaints by producing products that do not use infill and with better fibers. This has made the grass safer than before.

The use of the commodity has increased because of the safety measures incorporated by manufacturers. The annual production and sales of fake turf amounts to billions of tons globally. The products are produced in form of versions and latest versions have superior qualities than the former ones. As a result, their installation in playgrounds has been approved by key sport governing authorities such as FIFA. This however, does not illegalize the use of natural grass.

Major international airstrips and airports have had fake grass replace natural turf and pavements. One of the reasons is because they offer a safe surface for stray planes and firefighting vehicles to move on without causing any threats. The commodity reduces foreign object damage and never harbors food that may attract wildlife. As such, the rate of collision between planes and wild animals has dropped sharply.

The ever green appearance of the turf provides a clear visual distinction between taxiways and runways even in winter. Runways are not washed away and are highly stabilized due to lack of mud during rainy seasons. The wheels of the planes do not also cause erosion of the runway due to friction. Reduced maintenance of this turf helps minimize costs and make the work of security personnel much easier during repairs and maintenance.

The products vary in price a lot. Some of the factors that affect price are brand, manufacturer, version, quality, and size. Investing in expensive brands is better because they are safer.




About the Author:



0 Comments:

Post a Comment