Sports Technology

An innovative new system for the sub-bases of artificial turf and hybrid fields is set to be launched in Australia at the Sports and Play Industry Association 2016 National Conference tomorrow (9th September).

Developed by sports facilities product specialist Mapei, the innovation is horizontal drainage system that allows water to flow away from just below the turf surface of a field.

Known as ‘Mapesoil’, the technology is a ‘no-pipe’ sub-base system used for enhancing the water permeability of the playing area and, therefore, improving the maintenance of the surface.

Mapesoil presents an impermeable drainage layer interposed between the synthetic grass playing surface and the sub-base which enables rainwater and irrigation water to flow off horizontally with the water flowing away from the centrer of the playing area towards the edges of the pitch into drainage channels positioned around the perimeter of the playing surface.

The product will be introduced to Australia by Mapei SpA Sport Facilities Product Specialist and engineer Elisa Portigliatti during the annual Sports and Play Industry Association Conference being held at the Manly Quarantine Station Function Centre in Sydney.

Portigliatti explains “performances and comfort properties required for a playing surface must be met when it rains.

“This means that an efficient system to drain water from the playing surface must be included in the specification to guarantee the functionality of the turf pitch, whether it be artificial, hybrid or natural turf.”

The Italian company is a world leader in the chemicals with over 79 years’ experience in manufacturing adhesives, sealants, chemicals for the building industry and a wide range of products tailor-made for sports flooring.

Mapei developed and perfected Mapesoil is its research and development laboratory specifically for the sports facilities sector, is based on the technical specifications given by the Italian Synthetic Grass Playing Fields Commission, one of the most stringent organisations in the world in assessing pitch performance.

The system involves stabilising the native soil under the playing surface by adding a powdered, fibre-reinforced stabilising agent having a hydraulic reaction.  As a result, Mapesoil 100 is mixed with the soil in order to achieve the mandatory characteristics for proper horizontal drainage of the artificial turf playing surface. This includes evenness, slope, volumetric stability and bearing capacity.

Mapesoil technology is composed of two separate layers:

Horizontal Drainage (Soil stabilisation of the base)

This is completed by the base being shaped and then sloped for improving water flow to the sides of the pitch using ‘Mapesoil 100’.

Vertical Drainage

The second layer is a drainage blanket constructed of ‘Mapesoil VD’ binder laid over the entire playing surface at a thickness of 8 cm.

Mapesoil technology leads to:

• A strong reduction of the soil stripping and removal.
• Higher permeability of the surface when compared to the traditional pipe systems.
• Higher water flow rate to the water channels of the pitch.
• Homogeneous water collection over the surface (like having pipes side by side).
• Constant humidity of the top soil underneath the grass.
• Even performance of the playing area.
• Re-use of water collected through ‘Mapesoil VD’ if required.
• Reduction of heating system costs if present.
• Grass maintenance cost reduction.

Mapesoil technology has been successfully installed at many top Italian football club pitches, including Juventus FC, AC Milan, FC Inter, UC Sampdoria, Genoa CFC, AC Chievo-Verona, Atalanta BC and Cagliari Calcio.

Elisa Portigliatti holds a Master Degree in Mining Engineering from Polythecnique Faculty of Turin (Italy). She has been working at Mapei for 13 years and has experience in geotechnical and soil mechanics for ground works, tunneling and soil treatments for paving. 

Click here to contact Mapei via their listing in the Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory.

Images: The Mapesoil profile (top), Mapeisoil as installed at Milan's San Siro Stadium (middle) and Elisa Portigliatti - centre - with Genoa CFC and UC Sampdoria officials at Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa.

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