Domestic First Main Stadium Ground Fully Replaced with Hybrid Grass... Quality Verification Completed
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul Facilities Corporation announced on the 16th that it will showcase Korea's first hybrid turf ground at the 2022 K League FC Seoul home opener to be held on the 19th at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
Hybrid turf is a mixture of natural grass and artificial turf in a 95 to 5 ratio, where the fibers of the artificial turf intertwine with the roots of the natural grass to enhance cohesion, thereby preventing turf depressions caused by external impacts. Maintaining the flatness of the ground helps prevent player injuries and improves performance. In particular, hybrid turf comes in mat form (1m×10m), allowing easy replacement of partially damaged sections.
Additionally, the corporation conducted quality inspections of the hybrid turf ground by consulting with turf research institutions and inviting turf experts for on-site advisory meetings at the end of last year. It was also verified to be sufficient for hosting matches above the K League level through field tests for stadium certification by the Korea Professional Football League. The field tests objectively certify ground quality standards such as shock absorption, rotational resistance, and ball roll.
The corporation is also preparing an advanced turf management system incorporating Internet of Things (IoT) technology in line with the introduction of Korea's first hybrid turf. By analyzing data such as internal ground humidity, temperature, and field color in conjunction with external weather conditions, it will be used for irrigation, fertilization, and pest and disease prevention. In addition to professional equipment already in use, such as artificial lighting and installers, dedicated management equipment for hybrid turf will be additionally introduced to maintain the optimal turf growth condition of the ground.
Jeon Ki-sung, Acting Chairman, said, “With the successful introduction of hybrid turf, we will continue to uphold our status as Korea’s representative football-specific stadium,” adding, “As the first in the country, we will do our best to present a standard model for the construction and management criteria of hybrid turf grounds.”
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