Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Astroturf

astroturf

When Reliant Stadium was being built in Houston, a lot was made of the fact that the new field would feature real grass instead of Astroturf, the artificial turf from Monsanto that was part of what had made the Astrodome the “Eighth Wonder of the World.”

Now, Reliant is getting its own carpet at a cost of $1.2 million. 

The new stuff, known formally as AstroTuft GameDay Grass 3D60 Xtreme, is built in two layers — a 17⁄8-inch-high series of polyurethane grass-like fibers woven into a plastic base and a network of shorter plastic fibers known as the “root zone” that holds in place about 200,000 pounds of pulverized rubber that approximates dirt and provides cushioning.  It is designed to provide a safer, more natural feel than the old Astroturf.

The Texans will continue to play on real grass, but the artificial surface will let Reliant host back-to-back events such as high school playoffs that would destroy the real grass.

When not in use, the new carpet will be rolled up and stored in the Astrodome.

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