Football field construction

Guidelines and principles

Football in general

Typical issues with football pitches

Factors in construction planning

Determination of soil characteristics of both
the topsoil and the underlying layers.
Assessments are needed to determine
whether underlying stone and rock may be
important factors influencing pitch design.
Contours of the site should be assessed to
determine whether significant adjustment of
surface levels will be required.
Assessment of a suitable outfall for drainage
The presence of existing services on the site
needs to be identified (Electrical Line, water,
drainage and etc).

Pitch layout in relation to surrounding

features and correct alignment of the pitch is
needed to reduce problems of low sun angles,
particularly in the evening.
Expected levels of usage in terms of hours of
use for matches and training sessions.
The potential budget that is available for pitch
construction.
Timelines for construction or drainage work,
determination of the length of the grass
establishment period and the time before the
facility is likely to be available for use.
Resources in terms of staff and equipment
available to maintain the facility.

Construction method
Earthworks
Removal of unsuitable surfaces
+/-50 mm is generally
acceptable.
Based on site condition, more
soils may need to be cart off and
disposed.

Construction method (contd)

Drainage (Basic)
Basic drainage

Drainage are excavated to 600

mm deep and backfill with
gravels/suitable materials
Sand is added above before
suitable roortzone mix

Construction method (contd)

Drainage (Type 2)
Supplementary silt drainage can
improve performance of basic
drainage
It intercepts and carry it to
course well
It can be installed in Herring or
Horizontal method

Pipe & silt

drainage

Construction method (contd)

Drainage (Type 3)
Another different method of
Rootzone being replaced with
fine sand.
Can be used with bermudad
grass or carpet grass.

Sand & carpet

method

Construction method (contd)

Drainage (Type 5)
Form a base layer of gravels or
suitable dry aggregate
Often used with silt drainage or
amelioration with sand

Soil over a
drainage layer

Construction method (contd)

Drainage (Type 5)
This approach is used when
good drainage is essential.
Can be useful during dry
climates as water tends to be
held at rootzone layer.

Medium over a
drainage layer

Grass selection
Grass selection is very dependent on the climate of the area and is
therefore treated in more detail in the sections covering individual
climate areas
Warm-season grasses are adapted to tropical areas and examples
include Cow grass (Axonopus compressus), Bermuda grass (Cynodon
species), Zoysia species (mainly Zoysia japonica and Zoysia matrella).

Axonopus compressus

Cynodon species

Zoysia species

Climate conditions

General-standard pitches (Malaysia)

Regular and intense rainfall, effective drainage system is required
General spacing between pipes are 4-5m ctc.
Suitable drainage method is Type 5 (Medium over a drainage layer).
Requires more engineered layers of sand & aggregate
Can use seeding (sterilized) or turfing (sodding)
Approximately time required by seeding 20 -30- weeks and turfing
(8-10 weeks) depending on gap of grasses.

General-standard pitches (Malaysia) contd

In dry weather, irrigation requirements may reach up to about 8mm
per day (64 cubic metres for an 8000m pitch).
Suggested water supply method are portable rotary or oscillating
sprinklers, travelling sprinklers and irrigation guns.
For higher-standard pitches, fully automated pop-up irrigation system
or peripheral pop-up heads and mobile sprinklers for the central
areas of the pitch is often the better option.

General-standard pitches (Malaysia) contd

Travelling sprinkler

Oscillating sprinkler

Pop Up automatic sprinkler

Maintenance (Malaysia) - Mowing

Frequency of grass cutting shall depends on growth rate.
General pitch is two(2) times a week and Standard/high-standard shall
be three(3) times a week.
Cut heights are normally 25-35 mm for standard pitch and 20-30 mm
for high-standard pitch.
Types of mower, (1) Cylinder mowers cut the grass using a rotating reel
of sharpened blades cutting against a fixed bottom blade; (2) rotary
mowers use a rotating horizontal blade; and (3) flail mowers cut the
grass through the vertical rotation of splayed blades.

Maintenance (Malaysia) Mowing (contd)

Mechanical mower

Manual mower

Maintenance (Malaysia) Line Marking

Frequency depends on the usage of pitch.
Line marking shall use non-toxic calcium carbonate and PPE
shall be used.
Line marking width shall be btw 8-10 cm but not more than
12 cm.
Lower usage requires remarking after two(2) or three(3)
games.
Higher-standard pitch shall remarked every game.

Maintenance (Malaysia) Line Marking

Wheel-type line marker

Jet type line marker

Maintenance (Malaysia) aeration/spiking contd

Relieve compaction build up through play
Help water penetration.
Reduce organic accumulation on surface
Reduce hardness of surface.
Carried out two(2) to six(6) weeks intervals for shallow aeration (100
mm)
Deep aeration (250mm or more) shall be done once (1) to three (3)
times a year.

Maintenance (Malaysia) aeration/spiking contd

Hollow-core aeration

Deep aeration with solid tines

Maintenance (Malaysia) scarifying contd

Organic compound may be accumulated when good growth of grass.
Affects drainage, firmness of surface and ball rebound.
Approximately once (1) to three (3) times a year.
Scarifying and aeration shall be done with a gap between 2 to 3
months to reduce damage on grass

Maintenance (Malaysia) scarifying contd

Cylinder mower with verticutting cassette

Scarifier

Maintenance (Malaysia) top dressing contd

Sand must only be used for top dressing.
Sand can be incorporated with soil or organic materials
Its to improver surface levels, dialute the build up of fine organic
matter and improve surface firmness.
40 80 tonne application at every two (2) to four (4) times annually.
Approximately 10 tonne per application.
Sand applied have to be clean, balance in pH and fine sand only to be
used.

Maintenance (Malaysia) top dressing contd

Manual sand spreader

Hybrid mechanical spreader

Maintenance (Malaysia) fertilizers contd

Sustain the growth and recovery of the grass, with the most
important nutrients being nitrogen, phosphorus andpotassium.
More fertilizers will be needed on sandy soils and during the main
growing season than during the cooler months of the year.
Sand based requires two (2) to four (4) interval when active and soil
based requires four (4) to six (6) weeks interval.

Maintenance (Malaysia) fertilizers contd

Hybrid mechanical spreader

Manual

Conclusion
Drainage system must be done in accordance to standard
Type of drainage selection must be appropriate to weather.
Regular maintenance is the key to successful pitch.
Cost of construction may be high but long run benefits is forseen.
Signs of disturbance in the condition of pitch must be tackled with
immediately.

The end