ASTM F2650-17e1

Standard Terminology Relating to Impact Testing of Sports Surfaces and Equipment

SCOPE
1.1 This terminology covers terms related to impact test methods and impact attenuation specifications of sports equipment and surfaces.  
1.2 This terminology is appropriate for use in the development of standards that describe gravity-driven impact test methods or specify impact attenuation performance criteria and which fall under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F08 on Sports Equipment and Facilities.  
1.3 This terminology defines common terms that are applicable to many sports-related impact tests including those used in the context of sports surfaces, athletic footwear, protective equipment and padding. The use of a common terminology will promote greater consistency among standards and reduce the risk of misinterpretation.  
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.  
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 14-Sep-2017
• ICS: 01.040.97 - Domestic and commercial equipment. Entertainment. Sports (Vocabularies)
• ICS: 97.220.10 - Sports facilities
• Technical Committee: F08 - Sports Equipment, Playing Surfaces, and Facilities
• Drafting Committee: F08.80 - Common Terminology, Methods and Laboratory Practices

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM F2650-17 - Standard Terminology Relating to Impact Testing of Sports Surfaces and Equipment
• Effective Date: 15-Sep-2017
• Referred By: ASTM F2970-22 - Standard Practice for Design, Manufacture, Installation, Operation, Maintenance, Inspection and Major Modification of Trampoline Courts
• Effective Date: 15-Sep-2017
• Referred By: ASTM F1702-10(2018) - Standard Test Method for Measuring Impact-Attenuation Characteristics of Natural Playing Surface Systems Using a Lightweight Portable Apparatus
• Effective Date: 15-Sep-2017
• Referred By: ASTM F355-16e1 - Standard Test Method for Impact Attenuation of Playing Surface Systems, Other Protective Sport Systems, and Materials Used for Athletics, Recreation and Play
• Effective Date: 15-Sep-2017
• Referred By: ASTM F3102-15 - Standard Guide for Specifying, Measuring, and Managing Impact Attenuation of Synthetic Turf Playing Systems (Withdrawn 2024)
• Effective Date: 15-Sep-2017
• Referred By: ASTM F3146-18 - Standard Test Method for Impact Attenuation of Turf Playing Systems Designated for Rugby
• Effective Date: 15-Sep-2017
• Referred By: ASTM F1936-19 - Standard Specification for Impact Attenuation of Turf Playing Systems as Measured in the Field
• Effective Date: 15-Sep-2017

Overview

ASTM F2650-17e1: Standard Terminology Relating to Impact Testing of Sports Surfaces and Equipment provides a comprehensive vocabulary for impact test methods and impact attenuation specifications applied to sports equipment and sports surfaces. Developed by ASTM Committee F08, this standard supports the harmonization and clarity of terms for anyone involved in testing, manufacturing, or evaluating athletic and playground surfaces, protective equipment, and related gear. Establishing a unified terminology reduces the risk of misinterpretation, fosters comparability of test results, and supports the development and consistency of other standards in the sports industry.

Key Topics

ASTM F2650-17e1 covers essential terminology and definitions relating to:

• Impact Test Methods: Includes terms for gravity-driven and assisted impact tests involving the use of a missile (impactor) with defined characteristics.
• Impact Attenuation: Definitions focus on measures such as shock attenuation (impact attenuation), average and maximum acceleration (g-max), and head injury criterion (HIC) to evaluate and specify the impact reduction capability of surfaces and equipment.
• Reference Surfaces and Planes: Clarifies what constitutes a rigid surface for baseline comparison in tests and defines how reference planes are established.
• Headforms and Missiles: Includes distinctions between biofidelic (human-like) and rigid headforms for testing, ensuring accurate simulation of human impacts.
• Test Parameters: Drop height, impact energy, total energy input, and time to maximum acceleration (g-max) used in characterizing test and product performance.
• Units and Measurement Consistency: Specifies use of SI units as the standard, promoting global compatibility.

By defining these critical terms with precision, the standard improves communication among laboratories, manufacturers, researchers, and standards developers in the field of sports safety and equipment performance.

Applications

ASTM F2650-17e1 terminology is practically valuable for a wide spectrum of sports and recreation safety assessment activities:

• Development of Test Methods and Standards: Used as a foundational reference when creating new standards or updating existing ones concerning sports impact testing and impact attenuation performance.
• Sports Surfaces Evaluation: Applicable for specifying and verifying performance of athletic fields, playground surfaces, and sports flooring in terms of shock absorption and injury prevention.
• Protective Equipment Design and Testing: Facilitates precise communication around test setups and requirements for helmets, padding, and guards.
• Product Certification and Compliance: Assists manufacturers, test houses, and certification bodies in interpreting and documenting impact test results consistently.
• Risk Assessment and Injury Research: Enables researchers and safety professionals to exchange data and compare findings using an established vocabulary, supporting advancements in injury prevention.

These applications play a crucial role in ensuring that sports equipment and facilities meet rigorous safety criteria, reduce injury risks, and maintain quality standards across global markets.

Related Standards

Professionals referencing ASTM F2650-17e1 may also consider these associated standards and guidelines:

• ASTM F1936 - Standard Specification for Impact Attenuation of Turf Playing Systems
• ASTM F1292 - Standard Specification for Impact Attenuation of Surface Systems Under and Around Playground Equipment
• ASTM F1045 - Standard Performance Specification for Ice Hockey Helmets
• ASTM F1446 - Standard Test Methods for Equipment and Procedures Used in Evaluating the Performance Characteristics of Protective Headgear
• ISO/IEC standards related to sports equipment and surface safety
• WTO TBT Principles - For international harmonization and removal of technical barriers to trade

By adopting the terminology in ASTM F2650-17e1 and related standards, the global sports industry supports safer designs, clearer communication, and enhanced product interoperability.

Standards Content (Sample)

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
´1
Designation: F2650 − 17 An American National Standard
Standard Terminology Relating to
Impact Testing of Sports Surfaces and Equipment
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F2650; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
ε NOTE—Editorially corrected ‘standard gravity’ in November 2017.
1. Scope assisted impact test, n—an impact test in which the missile is
accelerated by means other than gravity alone, for example,
1.1 This terminology covers terms related to impact test
by an actuator.
methods and impact attenuation specifications of sports equip-
ment and surfaces.
drop height (h), n—height from which a missile is dropped
during a gravity-driven impact test, measured as the vertical
1.2 This terminology is appropriate for use in the develop-
distancebetweenthelowestpointoftheelevatedmissileand
ment of standards that describe gravity-driven impact test
its first point of contact with the impacted surface or anvil.
methodsorspecifyimpactattenuationperformancecriteriaand
which fall under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F08 on theoretical drop height, n—drop height (h) that, under
Sports Equipment and Facilities. standardconditions,wouldresultinanimpactvelocityequalto
a missile’s measured impact velocity (V ).
1.3 This terminology defines common terms that are appli-
DISCUSSION—The “standard conditions” assume standard gravity and
cable to many sports-related impact tests including those used
that friction and air resistance do not affect the fall of the missile. In a
in the context of sports surfaces, athletic footwear, protective
free-fall impact test the actual drop height will approximate the
equipment and padding. The use of a common terminology
theoretical drop height. In a guided impact test, the theoretical drop
will promote greater consistency among standards and reduce
height will be less than the actual drop height, due to the effects of
friction in the guidance mechanism.
the risk of misinterpretation.
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the g, n—(pronounced “gee”) a unit of acceleration equal to
standard. The values given in parentheses are for information standard gravity. Missile accelerations expressed in ‘g’units
only. are the ratio of the missile acceleration to standard gravity
and are hence dimensionless.
1.5 This international standard was developed in accor-
DISCUSSION—The symbol g is properly written in lowercase and
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
italic, to distinguish it from the symbol G (uppercase, used to indicate
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
the gravitational constant) and g (not italicized) which is an abbrevia-
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
tion of the gram unit.
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
g-max, n—maximum acceleration magnitude recorded during
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
a single impact, expressed in ‘g’ units.
2. Terminology
average g-max, n—arithmetic average of a specified set of
g-max values.
2.1 Definitions:
acceleration, n—rate of change of velocity with time.
gravity-driven impact test, n—an impact test in which the
DISCUSSION—Acceleration is a vector quantity, having both magni-
missile is accelerated by gravity alone, during a period of
tude and direction. Acceleration magnitude is expressed in units of
free-fall.
−2 −2
m/s (ft/s ) and direction is defined relative to a Cartesian coordinate
system or other spatial reference frame.
head injury criterion (HIC), n—weighted impulse criterion
calculated from a head impact acceleration-time profile and
used to quantify head impact severity. The HIC calculation
results in a severity index that is weighted by both impact
This terminology is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee F08 on Sports
Equipment, Playing Surfaces, and Facilities and is the direct responsibility of
acceleration magnitude and by the time for which high
Subcommittee F08.80 on Common Terminology, Methods and Laboratory Prac-
magnitude accelerations persist.
tices.
DISCUSSION—HIC scores can only be directly referenced to the head
Current edition approved Sept. 15, 2017. Published October 2017. Originally
injury risk data on which the criterion is based if the impact
approved in 2007. Last previous edition approved in
...