Abstract
Soccer field grass can be compared to highly sensitive crops regarding water deficit and must be irrigated throughout the year to provide decent conditions for use. For this, efficient irrigation systems are necessary to save water and energy, and this is possible, provided that they are evaluated. Therefore, this paper evaluated the water distribution uniformity, by different methodologies, for an irrigation system installed in a grass soccer field. Also, the influences of multiple spacings between sprinklers and meteorological factors on the final results were assessed. The irrigation system had Falcon 6504 sprinklers, operating at the pressure of 320 kPa. Six field essays were conducted considering overlaying water depths originated from the same irrigation system considering spacings between sprinklers varying from 6 m x 6 m, 6 m x 9 m, 9 m x 9 m, 9 m x 12 m, 12 m x 12 m, 12 m x 15 m, 15 m x 15 m, 15 m x 18 m, 18 m x 18 m, 18 m x 21 m, 21 m x 21 m, 21 m x 24 m, 24 m x 24 m, 24 m x 27 m, 27 m x 27 m, 27 m x 30 m and 30 m x 30 m. The uniformity coefficients used were: Christiansen uniformity coefficient (CU), distribution uniformity coefficient (DU), absolute uniformity coefficient (UA), statistical uniformity coefficient (US), Hart uniformity coefficient (UH) and HSPA standard efficiency (UHSPA). Meteorological data were obtained during the essays. Wind speed caused reduction in the length of the water jet applied by the sprinkler and also caused a bigger effect on the water distribution uniformity. Both CU and UH showed higher values compared to the other coefficients. The increase in the spacing between the sprinklers resulted in reduced water distribution coefficients. To comply with technical and economic criteria, an arrangement of 12 m x 15 m between the Falcon 6504 sprinklers, operating at a 320 kPa pressure, is recommended.
Highlights
The grass for soccer fields, golfing, gardens and many others occupies large expanses of land and are highly sensitive to water deficit, requiring an appropriate irrigation management throughout the year
This paper evaluated the water distribution uniformity, by different methodologies, for an irrigation system installed in a grass soccer field
Wind speed reduced the water jet length applied by the Falcon 6504 sprinkler, and it was the meteorological factor that showed the strongest influence on water distribution uniformity
Summary
The grass for soccer fields, golfing, gardens and many others occupies large expanses of land and are highly sensitive to water deficit, requiring an appropriate irrigation management throughout the year. The water, when supplied in the right moment and quantity, guarantees that the grass field will be maintained in ideal conditions for proper practice of sports and aesthetic purposes (García-González et al 2015; Siqueira et al 2018). An adequate irrigation system presents itself as a relevant strategy to achieve these goals. Irrigation is the world’s major consumer of water, accounting for, on average, 70% of all its use (FAOWWC 2015). In Brazil, this use reaches 68.4%, according to recent studies (Ana 2019). In 2050, it is expected that irrigation will remain the world’s major water user, representing more than half of all abstractions from
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
