EPDM Construction: Rubber-Plastic Running Track and Its Construction Technology

EPDM‑constructed synthetic running tracks offer superior elasticity and lower hardness compared to conventional tracks. With a well‑balanced elastic layer, they help reduce physical exertion and enhance athletic performance. Featuring robust elastic and cushioning layers, they effectively absorb minor impacts without sustaining damage. Thanks to their excellent elasticity and durability, EPDM‑based synthetic tracks are frequently chosen for sports facilities.

Although plastic running tracks are convenient for everyone, many people are also curious about their composition and structure. Today, let’s share this with you.

EPDM‑constructed synthetic running tracks offer superior elasticity and lower hardness compared to conventional tracks. With a well‑balanced elastic layer, they help reduce physical exertion and enhance athletic performance. Featuring robust elastic and cushioning layers, they effectively absorb minor impacts without sustaining damage. Thanks to their excellent elasticity and appropriate hardness, EPDM‑based synthetic tracks are frequently chosen for sports facilities.

EPDM construction plastic tracks are made from EPDM rubber granules and polyurethane adhesive. They represent the premier flooring solution for sports venues today and are an IAAF‑approved material for athletic facilities.

EPDM rubber‑plastic tracks boast excellent wear resistance, rich color options, fade‑resistance, seamless construction, and rapid installation. They outperform other products and provide superior cushioning and joint protection for athletes. Depending on the specific elasticity requirements of each sport, a 4–8 mm‑thick, uniformly distributed EPDM granule surface layer is selected.

EPDM‑based synthetic running tracks are primarily used for non‑standard tracks in schools and kindergartens. In general, EPDM rubber tracks offer excellent performance at an affordable price, with costs significantly lower than those of other synthetic surfaces. EPDM rubber tracks mainly include EPDM air‑ventilated tracks and EPDM spray‑applied air‑ventilated tracks.

EPDM is a type of permanent track material, primarily composed of an EPDM rubber granule layer and a rubber base layer. According to international competition standards, the typical EPDM track thickness is 13 mm—6 mm of colored EPDM rubber and 7 mm of rubber base. The colored adhesive layer can also be thickened as needed. EPDM synthetic tracks are suitable for all‑day use and resist fading caused by UV radiation, acid rain, and other environmental pollutants, ensuring long‑term high‑performance durability. The base layer is formulated by blending specialized rubber granules with polyurethane binder in precisely controlled proportions, with thickness regulated by professional paving equipment. It serves as an alternative to silicone PU sports surfaces. Advantages include ease of installation, strong adaptability to various subgrades, resistance to peeling and bubbling, environmental friendliness, zero pollution, fade resistance, absence of loose particles, excellent water and air permeability, cost‑effectiveness, mechanized construction, and superior surface smoothness. This system is designed for concrete‑based pavements and is available in iron red, grass green, or custom colors to meet user requirements, making EPDM synthetic tracks widely adopted.

Now let’s walk through the construction steps for a synthetic running track:

1. Remove waste from the site, conduct preliminary inspections, record findings, clean the batching and mixing areas, and maintain cleanliness around the batching area.

2. Use a hammer to remove any whitewash, cement, or protruding sections that cannot be brushed off.

3. Take an appropriate amount of adhesive, mix it according to the specified ratio, and conduct on-site testing. After completing the test, proceed to the next step based on the results.

4. The base shall be sealed, and the submerged surface shall be smooth and level. Areas with insufficient compaction shall be sealed with adhesive.

5. Adjust the paver’s settings, then proceed with construction; the pavement thickness shall comply with the design requirements.

6. After the base layer has been paved and hardened, inspect the drainage system to identify any areas where water has pooled, and treat these spots according to the aforementioned procedure until no standing water remains on the primer surface. Once the primer has fully cured, use a grinding machine to smooth its surface to meet the required flatness specifications, then proceed with the application of an anti-slip topcoat.

7. Mark the locations of all wiring on site in accordance with the drawings and design specifications.