Manufactured composite having synthetic vegetation and impermeable geomembrane, and capping system using same

Abstract

Disclosed herein are various aspects of synthetic turf composite structures and uses thereof. One such synthetic turf composite structure has a synthetic turf and a base structure. The synthetic turf includes a primary and synthetic grass extending above a first side of the primary. The base structure has opposing sides. The base structure includes a layer of woven material having at least one layer of thermoplastic material coated onto at least one side thereof. The woven material has openings therein between opposing sides thereof. The one or more layers of the thermoplastic material covers substantially all of the openings in the woven material for rendering the base structure substantially impermeable. The base structure is adjoined to a second side of the primary such that a first one of the sides of the base structure is engaged with the second side of the primary.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A synthetic turf composite structure, comprising:
 a synthetic turf including synthetic grass and a primary, wherein an upper end portion of the synthetic grass extends above a first side of the primary and a lower end portion of the synthetic grass extends through the primary to expose the lower end portion of the synthetic grass at a second side of the primary; and   a base structure underlying and adjoined to the second side of the primary, wherein the base structure includes a structural layer having opposing sides and at least one blocking layer provided on a respective one of the opposing sides of the structural layer, wherein the structural layer is formed from a plurality of fibers that intersect with each other to form openings between the opposing sides thereof whereby the structural layer is substantially permeable, wherein the at least one blocking layer being provided on the respective one of the opposing sides of the structural layer results in the base structure being substantially impermeable.   
     
     
         2 . The synthetic turf composite structure of  claim 1  wherein the fibers of the structural layer are arranged in one of a non-woven manner and a woven manner. 
     
     
         3 . The synthetic turf composite structure of  claim 2  wherein the fibers of the structural layer are at least partially formed from a polymeric material. 
     
     
         4 . The synthetic turf composite structure of  claim 1  wherein the at least one blocking layer is a coating applied onto the structural layer. 
     
     
         5 . The synthetic turf composite structure of  claim 4  wherein:
 the fibers of the structural layer are arranged in a woven manner; and 
 a thickness of the at least one blocking layer is between about one-tenth and one-quarter an average width of the openings between the opposing sides of the structural layer. 
 
     
     
         6 . The synthetic turf composite structure of  claim 5  wherein the fibers of the structural layer are at least partially formed from a polymeric material. 
     
     
         7 . The synthetic turf composite structure of  claim 1  wherein each one of the opposing sides of the structural layer has a respective instance of the blocking layer provided thereon. 
     
     
         8 . The synthetic turf composite structure of  claim 7  wherein:
 the blocking layer provided on each of the opposing sides of the structural layer is a coating of thermoplastic material applied onto the structural layer; and 
 within substantially all of the openings, the blocking layer provided on a first one of the opposing sides is molecularly engaged with the blocking layer provided on a second one of the opposing sides. 
 
     
     
         9 . The synthetic turf composite structure of  claim 8  wherein the fibers of the structural layer are arranged in one of a non-woven manner and a woven manner. 
     
     
         10 . The synthetic turf composite structure of  claim 9  wherein the fibers of the structural layer are at least partially formed from a polymeric material. 
     
     
         11 . A synthetic turf composite structure, comprising:
 a synthetic turf including a primary and synthetic grass extending above a first side of the primary; and   a composite geomembrane having opposing sides, wherein the composite geomembrane includes a structural layer of material formed from a plurality of fibers that intersect with each other and at least one blocking layer provided on each side of the structural layer and wherein the composite geomembrane is underlying and adjoined to a second side of the primary such that a first one of the sides of the composite geomembrane is engaged with the second side of the primary.   
     
     
         12 . The synthetic turf composite structure of  claim 11  wherein:
 the fibers of the structural layer are arranged in one of a non-woven manner and a woven manner; and 
 the fibers of the structural layer are at least partially formed from a polymeric material. 
 
     
     
         13 . The synthetic turf composite structure of  claim 11  wherein the at least one blocking layer of each side of the structural layer is a coating applied as a liquid onto the structural layer. 
     
     
         14 . The synthetic turf composite structure of  claim 13  wherein:
 within substantially all of the openings, the blocking layer provided on a first one of the opposing sides is molecularly engaged with the blocking layer provided on a second one of the opposing sides; and 
 a thickness of the at least one blocking layer provided on each side of the structural layer is between about one-tenth and one-quarter an average width of the openings between the opposing sides of the structural layer. 
 
     
     
         15 . The synthetic turf composite structure of  claim 14  wherein the fibers of the structural layer are at least partially formed from a polymeric material. 
     
     
         16 . A synthetic turf composite structure, comprising:
 a synthetic turf including a primary and synthetic grass extending above a first side of the primary; and   a base structure having opposing sides, wherein the base structure includes a layer of woven material having at least one layer of thermoplastic material coated onto at least one side thereof, wherein the woven material has openings therein between opposing sides thereof, wherein the one or more layers of the thermoplastic material covers substantially all of the openings in the woven material for rendering the base structure substantially impermeable and wherein the base structure is adjoined to a second side of the primary such that a first one of the sides of the base structure is engaged with the second side of the primary.   
     
     
         17 . The synthetic turf composite structure of  claim 16  wherein the woven material is at least partially formed from polymeric fibers. 
     
     
         18 . The synthetic turf composite structure of  claim 16  wherein each one of the opposing sides of the structural layer has a respective instance of the layer of thermoplastic material coated thereon. 
     
     
         19 . The synthetic turf composite structure of  claim 16  wherein:
 the fibers of the structural layer are arranged in a woven manner; 
 each one of the opposing sides of the structural layer has a respective instance of the layer of thermoplastic material coated thereon; 
 a thickness of the layer of thermoplastic material provided on each side of the structural layer is between about one-tenth and one-quarter an average width of the openings between the opposing sides of the structural layer; and 
 within substantially all of the openings, the thermoplastic material provided on a first one of the opposing sides is molecularly engaged with the thermoplastic material provided on a second one of the opposing sides. 
 
     
     
         20 . The synthetic turf composite structure of  claim 19  wherein the woven material is at least partially formed from polymeric fibers.