ASTM F355-16

Standard Test Method for Impact Attenuation of Playing Surface Systems, Other Protective Sport Systems, and Materials Used for Athletics, Recreation and Play

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 The results of this method quantify the impact attenuation of playing surface and system specimens under the specific test conditions.  
5.2 The test method measures the outcome of impacts performed under specific conditions. It does not quantify the intrinsic material properties of the tested specimens.  
5.3 Test results from different specimens obtained under the same conditions (that is, the same missile mass and geometry, drop height, etc.) are used to compare impact attenuation under those conditions.  
5.4 Test results obtained under different conditions are not comparable. Specifically obtained with different missiles are not equivalent and cannot be directly compared. Similarly, test results obtained using the same missile, but using different drop heights, are not directly comparable.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method measures the impact attenuation of surface systems and materials, specifically the peak impact acceleration (“impact shock”) produced under prescribed impact conditions.  
1.2 This test method is applicable to natural and artificial surface systems intended to provide impact attenuation, including natural and artificial turf sports fields.  
1.3 This test method is applicable to impact attenuating mats and padding used in sports facilities, including stadium wall padding, gymnastic mats, wrestling mats, turf playing systems, pole vault landing systems, playground protective surfacing, and other systems.  
1.4 This test method is used to measure the impact attenuation of materials and components used as protective padding on trampoline frames, goal posts, etc., provided the material or component can be tested separately from the equipment to which it is attached.  
1.5 Without modifications, this test method shall not be used to test materials and components that are attached to structures or equipment or finished products, unless the impact attenuation of the whole system is of interest.  
1.6 While it is widely believed that appropriate impact attenuation can reduce the risk of impact-related injuries, the relationships between the results of this test method and specific injury risk and outcomes have not been determined.  
1.7 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.  
1.8 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 30-Jun-2016
• ICS: 97.200.40 - Playgrounds
• Technical Committee: F08 - Sports Equipment, Playing Surfaces, and Facilities
• Drafting Committee: F08.52 - Miscellaneous Playing Surfaces

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM F355-10a - Standard Test Method for Impact Attenuation of Playing Surface Systems and Materials
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2016
• Replaced 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: 01-Jul-2016
• Referred By: ASTM F3146-18 - Standard Test Method for Impact Attenuation of Turf Playing Systems Designated for Rugby
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2016
• Referred By: ASTM F1015-21 - Standard Test Method for Relative Abrasiveness of Synthetic Turf Playing Surfaces
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2016
• Referred By: ASTM F3102-15 - Standard Guide for Specifying, Measuring, and Managing Impact Attenuation of Synthetic Turf Playing Systems
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2016
• Referred By: ASTM D4819-13(2021)e1 - Standard Specification for Flexible Cellular Materials Made From Polyolefin Plastics
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2016
• Referred By: ASTM F1081-09(2021) - Standard Specification for Competition Wrestling Mats
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2016
• Referred By: ASTM F3351-19e1 - Standard Test Method for Playground Surface Impact Testing in Laboratory at Specified Test Height
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2016
• Referred By: ASTM F2374-22 - Standard Practice for Design, Manufacture, Operation, and Maintenance of Inflatable Amusement Devices
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2016
• Referred By: ASTM F1292-22 - Standard Specification for Impact Attenuation of Surfacing Materials Within the Use Zone of Playground Equipment
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2016
• Referred By: ASTM E1476-04(2022) - Standard Guide for Metals Identification, Grade Verification, and Sorting
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2016
• 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: 01-Jul-2016
• Referred By: ASTM F1487-21 - Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Playground Equipment for Public Use
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2016
• Referred By: ASTM F3313-20 - Standard Test Method for Determining Impact Attenuation of Playground Surfaces Within the Use Zone of Playground Equipment as Tested in the Field
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2016
• Referred By: ASTM D3575-20 - Standard Test Methods for Flexible Cellular Materials Made from Olefin Polymers
• Effective Date: 01-Jul-2016

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: F355 − 16 An American National Standard
Standard Test Method for
Impact Attenuation of Playing Surface Systems, Other
Protective Sport Systems, and Materials Used for Athletics,
1
Recreation and Play
ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationF355;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginal
adoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscript
epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.1 This test method measures the impact attenuation of
surface systems and materials, specifically the peak impact
2. Referenced Documents
acceleration (“impact shock”) produced under prescribed im-
2
pact conditions. 2.1 ASTM Standards:
D1596Test Method for Dynamic Shock Cushioning Char-
1.2 This test method is applicable to natural and artificial
acteristics of Packaging Material
surfacesystemsintendedtoprovideimpactattenuation,includ-
E105Practice for Probability Sampling of Materials
ing natural and artificial turf sports fields.
E122PracticeforCalculatingSampleSizetoEstimate,With
1.3 This test method is applicable to impact attenuating
Specified Precision, the Average for a Characteristic of a
mats and padding used in sports facilities, including stadium
Lot or Process
wall padding, gymnastic mats, wrestling mats, turf playing
E691Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to
systems, pole vault landing systems, playground protective
Determine the Precision of a Test Method
surfacing, and other systems.
F1292Specification for Impact Attenuation of Surfacing
Materials Within the Use Zone of Playground Equipment
1.4 This test method is used to measure the impact attenu-
F2650Terminology Relating to Impact Testing of Sports
ation of materials and components used as protective padding
Surfaces and Equipment
ontrampolineframes,goalposts,etc.,providedthematerialor
component can be tested separately from the equipment to
2.2 SAE Standard:
which it is attached.
SAE J211/1Instrumentation for Impact Tests - Part 1 -
3
Electronic Instrumentation (rev. July 2007)
1.5 Withoutmodifications,thistestmethodshallnotbeused
to test materials and components that are attached to structures
3. Terminology
or equipment or finished products, unless the impact attenua-
tion of the whole system is of interest.
3.1 Definitions of terms related to impact testing of sports
surfaces equipment can be found in Terminology F2650,
1.6 While it is widely believed that appropriate impact
except as noted.
attenuation can reduce the risk of impact-related injuries, the
relationships between the results of this test method and
3.2 Definitions:
specific injury risk and outcomes have not been determined.
3.2.1 HIC interval, n—the time interval within the
acceleration-time history of an impact over which the HIC
1.7 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
integral is evaluated.
standard. The values given in parentheses are for information
only.
3.2.2 impact, n—contact caused by a moving object (for
example, an impact test missile) striking another object (for
1.8 This standard does not purport to address all of the
example, a surface) and during which one or both bodies are
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
subject to high accelerations.
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
1 2
This test method is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee F08 on Sports For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Equipment, Playing Surfaces, and Facilitiesand is the direct responsibility of contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
Subcommittee F08.52 on Miscellaneous Playing Surfaces. Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
CurrenteditionapprovedJuly1,2016.PublishedJuly2016.Originallyapproved the ASTM website.
3
in 1972. Last previous edition approved in 2010 as F355–10a. DOI: 10.1520/ AvailablefromSAEInternational(SAE),400CommonwealthDr.,Warrendale,
F0355-16. PA 15096-0001, http://www.sae.org.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
F355 − 16
3.2.3 impact test, n—a procedure in which the impact ponents of acceleration in three dimensions, relative to three
attenuation of a playground surface or surfacing materials is orthogonal spatial axes.
determined by measuring the acceleration of a missile dropped
3.3.1.3 uniaxial accelerometer, n—a transducer used to
onto the surface.
measure the component of acceleration relative to a single
spatial axis.
3.2.4 free-fall impact te
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: F355 − 10a F355 − 16 An American National Standard
Standard Test Method for
Impact Attenuation of Playing Surface Systems and
MaterialsSystems, Other Protective Sport Systems, and
1
Materials Used for Athletics, Recreation and Play
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F355; 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.
1. Scope
1.1 This test method measures the impact attenuation of playing surface systems and materials, specifically the peak impact
acceleration (“impact shock”) produced under prescribed impact conditions.
1.2 This test method is applicable to natural and artificial playing surface systems intended to provide impact attenuation,
including natural and artificial turf sports fields and playground surfaces.fields.
1.3 This test method is applicable to impact attenuating mats and padding used in sports facilities, including stadium wall
padding, gymnastic mats and wrestling mats.mats, wrestling mats, turf playing systems, pole vault landing systems, playground
protective surfacing, and other systems.
1.4 This test method may be is used to measure the impact attenuation of materials and components used as protective padding
on trampoline frames, goal posts, etc., provided the material or component can be tested separately from the equipment to which
it is attached.
1.5 Without modifications, this test method shall not be used to test materials and components that are attached to structures
or equipment or finished products, unless the impact attenuation of the whole system is of interest.
1.6 While it is widely believed that appropriate impact attenuation can reduce the risk of impact-related injuries, the
relationships between the results of this test method and specific injury risk and outcomes have not been determined.
1.7 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.
1.8 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
limitations prior to use.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
D1596 Test Method for Dynamic Shock Cushioning Characteristics of Packaging Material
E105 Practice for Probability Sampling of Materials
E122 Practice for Calculating Sample Size to Estimate, With Specified Precision, the Average for a Characteristic of a Lot or
Process
E691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to Determine the Precision of a Test Method
F1292 Specification for Impact Attenuation of Surfacing Materials Within the Use Zone of Playground Equipment
F2650 Terminology Relating to Impact Testing of Sports Surfaces and Equipment
2.2 SAE Standard:
3
SAE J211/1 Instrumentation for Impact Tests - Part 1 - Electronic Instrumentation (rev. July 2007)
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F08 on Sports Equipment, Playing Surfaces, and Facilitiesand is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
F08.52 on Miscellaneous Playing Surfaces.
Current edition approved July 1, 2010July 1, 2016. Published August 2010July 2016. Originally approved in 1972. Last previous edition approved in 2010 as
F355 – 10.F355 – 10a. DOI: 10.1520/F0355-10A.10.1520/F0355-16.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
3
Available from SAE International (SAE), 400 Commonwealth Dr., Warrendale, PA 15096-0001, http://www.sae.org.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
F355 − 16
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions of terms related to impact testing of sports surfaces equipment can be found in Terminology F2650, except as
noted.
3.2 Definitions:
3.2.1 HIC interval, n—the time interval within the acceleration-time history of an impact over which the HIC integral is
evaluated.
3.2.2 impact, n—contact caused by a moving object (for example, an impact test missile) striking another object (for ex
...