Building Strong Foundations Modern sports surfaces are an investment, but the construction of adequate foundations is essential to achieve long-term value from a new facility. A new tennis court or MUGA starts life simply as a shallow hole in the ground into which the different construction layers are built. The ground on which the sub-base is laid is called the formation, and together the formation and sub-base provide the necessary structural strength for the facility. A check of the subsoil is a basic initial requirement in order to determine its load-bearing potential and its drainage characteristics, and to design the overall thickness of the foundation that will be necessary. A well-engineered foundation is just as essential for the performance and durability of a sports surface as for any other structure, particularly as the evenness of the surface is often crucial to the quality of sport that can be played. Failure to provide a suitable foundation may lead to its movement over time and result in severe undulations, cracking or premature break up of the playing surface. In most cases, the maximum ground load imposed on a sports facility will come from the construction plant and lorries required during its installation, but when completed the predominant load will usually be pedestrian (the players), possibly with light vehicular equipment for maintenance. It is often mistakenly assumed therefore that only a lightweight construction is needed for sports surfaces. However, this is not the whole story and the surface will be subjected to many other stresses throughout the years and during the varying seasons and climatic conditions that occur. These stresses mainly concern the subsoil on which the foundation is built, and can include the following. Frost heave Clay shrinkage and swelling Settlement Vegetation disturbance (e.g. tree roots/weed growth) Flooding Saturation through faulty or inadequate drainage Other types of ground movement The degree to which the performance and durability of the playing surface will be affected by these forces depends on the ground conditions and the type and depth of construction. Ground conditions are always site specific and may even vary across an area as small as a tennis court. There is always the risk of finding unforeseen site conditions as the topsoil is removed. As such, if we have an indication that there maybe a chance of poor ground, but are not certain, we will advise if extra base will be required. We will only know this when the topsoil is stripped from the site. The chance of your site needing extra that that suggested by AMSS is extremely unlikely. Unless ground conditions are appreciated before starting on site, and taken into consideration in the design of the facility, there is a risk of either increased costs during construction or long-term irregularity of the playing surface. Click here for the NEXT PAGE