artificial weathering, durability testing, and fade resistance · weathering product performances...

Americhem Inc.

Artificial Weathering,

Durability Testing, and Fade Resistance

Americhem Inc.

Testing Durability of Synthetic Turf

• The purpose of presentation• Review FIFA & ASTM test procedures• Glimpse at the historical background on artificial grass durability

requirements• Methods of testing product performance• Methods of measuring levels of performance• Conclusions

Americhem Inc.

Review current accelerated weathering guidelines for synthetic turf sports fields, landscapes, and leisure areas

to determine if they correctly assess product performance .

Americhem Inc.


• The purpose of presentation• Review FIFA / ASTM test procedures• Glimpse at the historical background on artificial grass durability

requirements• Methods of testing product performance• Methods of measuring levels of performance• Conclusions

Americhem Inc.

In December 2011, STC Accepted ASTM & FIFA Procedures

This was a very important step in

establishing a bench mark for product

performance in the US.

The STC adopted ASTM and FIFA procedures and test guidelines to

measure the quality of multiple use sports playing field. Landscape and leisure turf is not covered by these

guidelines.

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• The purpose of presentation• Review FIFA / ASTM test procedures

• Glimpse at the historical background on artificial grass durability requirements

• Methods of testing product performance• Methods of measuring levels of performance• Conclusions

Americhem Inc.

Background on Product Performance Standards

• “In 2001, FIFA launched Quality Concept as a means to test soccer / football fields to assess the ball surface interaction, player surface interaction and the durability of fields.” This is quote taken from the Handbook of Requirements– Color changes after weathering should

not be lower than a 3 on a AATCC gray scale per test EN ISO 20150-A02

– Tensile retention after weathering should be no less than 50% per test DIN EN 13864.

Rating of 3 on gray scale = DE

of 3.4 in CIE LAB values

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FIFA Handbook of Test Methods for Artificial Weathering

• FIFA Test Method 10 before 2012 stated:– Use of ISO 4892-3 accelerated weathering conditions will result

in 4896 MJ/m2 after approximately 3000 hours

• FIFA’s 2012 handbook states:– Use of ISO 4892-3 accelerated weathering conditions result in

4896 kJ/m2 after approximately 2500 hours

• FIFA set the standards for testing sports fields• I have not found test standards for landscape or leisure

areas

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requirements

• Methods of testing product performance• Methods of measuring levels of performance• Conclusions

Americhem Inc.

Posted Turf Weathering Specifications for Sports Fields

Reference Light MJ/m2TSR 300-2450 nm

MJ/m2UV 295-385 nm

Hours

FIFA 2001-2011 UVA 340 - 4896 3000

FIFA 2012 UVA 340 - 4.896 2500

DIN 18035-7 Xenon 7500 - Not stated

LND UVB 313 - Not stated 2500

Note: 1 megajoule = 1000 kilojoules

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ISO 4892-3 for Fluorescent UV’s

Irradiance 0.76 W/m2 at 340 nm

Lamps UVA 340

Chamber temperature

60 C on light / 50 C dk. cycle

Light/dark cycle 8 hrs. UV / 4 hrs. dark

% Humidity Not specified


Lamps UVB 313

Chamber temperature

43 C

Relative Humidity Not specified

Light/dark cycle 4 hrs. light / 2 hrs. dark cycle

Spray 2 min. in dark cycle

Spectral Power Distribution

Supplied by Q-Lab

FIFA specified ISO 4892-3 UVA-340LND (Lega Nazionale Dilettanti) specified ISO 4892-3 UVB-314

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ISO 4892-2 for Xenon Arcs


Filter combination

Borosilicate in / out

Black panel temperature

65 C + /- 3

Chamber temperature

43 C

Relative Humidity

50%

Light/dark cycle Continuous UV

Spray 18 min. front spray every 2 hrs.

Spectral Power Distribution of a Type Boro S inner/Type Boro S outer filter combination

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

280 480 680 880 1080 1280 1480 1680 1880 2080 2280

Wavelength (nanometers)

Spec

tral Irradian

ce (W

/m²• n

m)

Type Boro S inner/Type Boro S outer Sunlight (CIE 85; Table 4)

Spectral Power Distribution

Supplied by Atlas

ISO-4892-2 is specified in DIN 18035-7

Sports Ground Part 7: Synthetic Turf Areas

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This is a Xenon Arc which we use for ISO 4892-2

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This is a QUV which we use for ISO 4892-3 with UVA-340. Another is set to run

LND’s ISO 4892-3 UVB-314

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MJ/m2 of Irradiance forUVA-340 Lamp / ISO 4892-3

• The integrated irradiance for UVA calibrated at 0.76 W/m2 is 45.1W/m2

• This calculates to 0.163 MJ/m2/hr of light cycle

• 0.163 x 3000 hrs. = 489.6 MJ/m2

• Therefore in 3000 hours of light, a QUV with a UVA lamp which was calibrated for 0.76 W/m2 at 340 nm will have a total of 489.6 MJ/m2 of UV irradiance.

• If the test was only run for 3000 hours, with specified light dark cycle, 489.6 x 0.66 = 323 MJ/m2 of UV irradiance. Spectral Graph &

Calculations Supplied by Q-Lab

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MJ/m2 of Irradiance for Xenon Arc Lamp / ISO 4892-2

• Based on the spectral power distribution with Boro S / Boro S filters at 0.50 W/m2

calibration; the sum of all wavelengths is 1177 W/m2.

• W/m2 x 0.0036 x 1 Hour = 4.237 MJ/m2 per hour

Spectral Power Distribution of a Type Boro S inner/Type Boro S outer filter combination

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

280 380 480 580 680 780 880 980 1080 1180 1280 1380 1480 1580

Wavelength (nanometers)Sp

ectral Irradian

ce (W

/m²• n

m)

Spectral Graph & Calculations

Supplied by Atlas

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requirements• Methods of testing product performance

• Methods of measuring levels of performance• Conclusions

Americhem Inc.

Global Climate Averages for Year 2010

Location Relative Humidity %

Rain Fall mm

Ave. Ambient

Temp. °C

TSR 300 – 2450 nm Direct Exposure 50

MJ/m2

UV Radiation295 – 385 nm

MJ/m2

Phoenix, AZ 34 401 22 7453 365

Miami, FL 77 1405 23 6198 343

Medina, OH 72 844 10 5100

Sanary, France 58 575 14 5412 194

Guangzhou, China 79 1492 22 4590

Choshi, Japan 78 1682 14 4659

Melbourne, Australia 62 650 16 5385

Information From Atlas Weathering Service Group

Weathering Variables

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Comparing Turf Weathering Specifications to Outdoor Sunlight

Test Light MJ/m2TSR 300-2450 nm

MJ/m2UV 295-385 nm

Hours of UVA

light

Years Out Doors in Arizona

FIFA 2001-2011 UVA 340 - 4896 3000 4896 is Over 13.3

FIFA 2012 UVA 340 - 4.896 2500 5 days

DIN 18035-7 Xenon 7500 - At least 1

LND UVB 313 - - 2500 ?Phoenix Sunlight 7453 365 - 1

8760 hours in 1 year

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NASA’s Global Solar Irradiation For

1 Yr. in (Kilo Langleys)

Kilo Langleys Can be Used to Establish Guidelines

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To Convert Exposure in Langleys to Q-Sun Test TimesEnter exposure in kiloLangleys here: 140

Conversion to joules (300-3000 nm) 5,857,600,000 joules 5,857,600.00 kJ 5,857.60 MJ

Conversion to joules (300-800 nm) 3,151,388,800 joules 3,151,388.80 kJ 3,151.39 MJ

Enter Q-Sun Set Point Here: Can be a 340 or 420 nm set point--check appropriate column for correct time of exposure 0.5 W/m2

Filter340 nm

Conversion Factor

340 nm control point: Time in hours

420 nm Conversion

Factor

420 nm Control Point: Time in

Hours

Extended UV -- Quartz 1752.7 1857 883.3 3684

Extended UV -- Q/B 2100.0 1550 863.0 3771

Daylight -- B/B 1988.6 1636 877.0 3711

140 Kilo Langleys Requires1636 Hrs of Testing

Conversion Table Supplied by Q-Lab

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If markets from 80 to 160 kL’s per year of total solar radiance are targeted, they need minimum of 9,350 hours to a

maximum of 18,700 hours of testing under ISO 4892-2. This is for 10 years exterior predicted or estimated performance.

800 kL’s = 9,350 hrs ISO 4892-2

1600 kL’s = 18,700 hrs ISO 4892-2

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Example of 3000 hrs. Pass / 6000 Fail

y = 1E-06x2 - 0.0021x + 1.9671R2 = 0.9974

y = 5E-07x2 - 0.0012x + 1.1841R2 = 0.9989

0.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

20.00

25.00

30.00

0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000

hours

DE

0.1 RED 1841.0 RED 184Poly. (0.1 RED 184)Poly. (1.0 RED 184)

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requirements• Methods of testing product performance• Methods of measuring levels of performance

• Conclusions

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Conclusions

• Test standards need to meet today’s demands for weathering product performances of 5 to 10 years out doors.

• Predictions of product life or warranties are dependent on the climate of the installation area. 3,000 hours of accelerated weathering is inadequate. Consider 9,000 to 17,000 hours depending on test method, location, and number of years expected life of field.

• Test procedures help improve quality of performance.• Developing products for this type of performance criteria

are demanding, time consuming, and expensive.

Americhem Inc.

Special Thanks for Technical Assistance and Input From Sean Fowler Q-LabMatt McGreer Ametek’s Atlas Div.

Special Thanks Krista Willey Shaw TurfKelly Wootten AmerichemRick Doyle

Pictures of Synthetic Turf

artificial weathering, durability testing, and fade resistance · weathering product performances...

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