Beacon BallieldDimensionsGuide-2024-WEB - Flipbook - Page 17
S P L I T S H E E T F LOW D E S I G N . This is a more effective surface grade
once water has entered
design than sheet flow. It involves running a crowned slope down the centerline
the outfield, it must
of the field (home plate to 2nd to centerfield). The home plate area is the
travel the entire depth
highest point with a slope toward 2nd base. In some cases, this centerline crown
to clear the field. To
can be a flat crown from home plate to center. In addition to the centerline,
expedite this movement
the field is also sloped from out toward the right field and left field foul areas.
and allow more water to
This home-to-center and left-to-right pattern is why it’s called “split sheet flow”.
move, the slope is increased to 0.5% steeper than the slope of the infield
This is commonly used on football and soccer fields and was frequently used in
for native soil root zones. Sand-based fields may instead decrease outfield
professional baseball in the days prior to sand-based fields, when multi-sport
slope to 0.25%.
stadiums were common in the last century. This is still a reliable way to surface
FIELD DIMENSIONS
With the conical design,
drain ballfields and, unlike sheet flow, does not make the water travel the entire
S HEET FLOW DESIGN. Many fields, especially in the park & rec sector, are
length of the ballfield. It is graded using a dual slope laser so the operator can
built on gently sloping land. It is very expensive to level up these fields so a
set an X and Y axis to create two slopes perpendicular to each other. ◾
conical drainage pattern can be used. Fields like this typically slope from one
side of the field to the other. In this situation, a sheet flow drainage pattern
would facilitate a consistent slope across the field in order to efficiently move
S P L I T S H E E T S LO P E
R E C O M M E N DAT I O N S
the water along. The volume of water requiring drainage across the entire field
surface makes this the least efficient method of surface draining. Because of the
0.5% — Sand based fields,
all levels
large volume of water moved, a steeper slope is a must to keep water moving.
1% — Native soil fields,
all levels
A system of French Drains installed into the turf will facilitate the draining.
Install them perpendicular to the flow in order to catch and remove water as
it moves across the field. This will allow your builder to reduce the amount of
slope needed. When sheet flow drainage is needed with your field design, be
sure the field is aligned so that water does not run towards home plate. The
field should be turned so that the home plate area is located on the higher side.
PRO TIP
|
DURAEDGE
Ideally, water flow would run outward toward the outfield. For sheet flow, the
infield portion may be set at a shallower slope than the rest of the field.
Thinking about installing subsurface drainage under
an infield skin? Forget it! Due to the soil makeup and
compaction of an infield skin, water moves very slowly
S H E E T F LOW S LO P E
R E C O M M E N DAT I O N S
1% to 2% — Only native soil
root zone ballfields at the
recreational and sometimes
high school level
through the infield skin profile. In most cases, if not all, water
will rarely ever reach the drain tile. This is why proper finish grading
that promotes positive surface drainage is so important. Instead,
invest in excellent finish grading with quality engineered infield soils
that will give you the performance needed to get through those rainy
game days. It’ll be the best decision you ever made. DuraEdge.com
BeaconAthletics.com
|
DuraEdge.com
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