Masterclass on Engineering Sports Surfaces
Masterclass on Engineering Sports Surfaces
By Laurence Gale MSc
Richard Earl, MD of Turf Trax will be presenting a Half Day Masterclass on Engineering Sports Surfaces, from Council sports grounds to major International Stadia at Cranfield University on Tuesday 27 September 2005, 2.00pm.
This master class has been organised by the Institute of Agricultral Engineering (IAgrE). Costs for the Masterclass is £15.00 for IAgrE members and £25.00 for non Members.
Constructing sporting surfaces for long term performance means planning in the right elements at the right time. Even if the primary function of a stadium construction is to facilitate a major international event (eg the 2012 Olympics), it is important that first class facilities are developed not only for the few weeks during that event, but that they form part of an enduring legacy that will benefit many people for many years. This is particularly pertinent to facilities that incorporate a natural turf playing surface because the provision of spectator ergonomics dominate design criteria, often to the detriment of the green bit in the middle of the stadium. With this in mind, the thrust of the presentation (using practical demonstrations where appropriate) will be to provide an insight into a range of factors that need to be considered during the design phase of a project in order to produce a sustainable natural turf facility because, after all, without the green bit, there will be no show!
The creation of an environment within which turf will thrive is crucial to long term sustainability. There are plenty of examples around the world where this has not been achieved as a result of an oversight during the design phase and where the legacy is a facility that is difficult to manage, costly to sustain, and where the enjoyment of participants and spectators alike is irreversibly compromised.
The application of science and engineering to the design and construction of natural turf facilities has a lot to offer the industry however long-established, basic, principles are invariably ignored. The purpose of the presentation is to provide an overview of some of the key elements that influence the ultimate sustainability of natural turf facilities ranging from lowly parish council playing fields to Chelsea's Stamford Bridge and Wembley National Stadium.
Richard Earl HND, MSc, PhD CEng, FIAgrE
Dr Richard Earl joined the academic staff of Cranfield University in 1987 where he became Leader of the Engineering Group and Director of the Cranfield Centre for Sports Surfaces. In 2002, he was appointed as Technical Director of TurfTrax Ground Management Systems Ltd, which is involved in the application of fundamental scientific principles to the management of sports surfaces. Richard was promoted to Managing Director of TurfTrax in 2004, is a Visiting Fellow of Cranfield University, has published widely in the academic press and is a Fellow of the Institution of Agricultural Engineers.
Further details call 01525 861096.
See link for further information and application form. Master Class