Proposition of irrigation system for wetting the clay surface of tennis courts

Carlos Henrique Ramalho Ferens; Carlos Augusto Brasileiro de Alencar; Giovanna Lyssa Lacerda Costa; Jean Carlos Coelho Pacheco; Lucas Maltoni Andrade; Roberto Filgueiras; Fernando França da Cunha

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0275571

Proposition of irrigation system for wetting the clay surface of tennis courts

PLoS One. 2022 Oct 5;17(10):e0275571. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275571. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Carlos Henrique Ramalho Ferens¹, Carlos Augusto Brasileiro de Alencar¹, Giovanna Lyssa Lacerda Costa¹, Jean Carlos Coelho Pacheco¹, Lucas Maltoni Andrade¹, Roberto Filgueiras¹, Fernando França da Cunha¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Agricultural Engineering, Center of Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.

Abstract

The key to maintaining a clay court with quality and lastingly is through water applications, carried out periodically and through systems with high distribution uniformity, developed specifically for this purpose. The objective in this study was to evaluate the performance of a sprinkler irrigation system with hose and shower, traditionally used in clay tennis court, and propose another low-cost system that is operational and technically feasible, which is the irrigating bar. For each irrigation system, three evaluations were performed. At the beginning of each test, the pressures and flow rates of the emitters were measured, and the water distribution profile method was used to determine the distribution uniformity of the systems. Distribution efficiency was obtained through the Christiansen's (UC), distribution (UD), absolute (UA), statistical (US) and Hart's (UH) uniformity coefficients, HSPA standard efficiency (UHSPA) and, coefficient of variation (CV). Subsequently, the application and irrigation efficiencies were calculated. It was found that the irrigation bar required lower operating pressure, as well as greater stability of pressure and flow in relation to the hose system. Water losses in the hose/shower system (22.0%) were higher than in the irrigation bar (0.6%). Regardless of the evaluated system, UC (68.4% and 86.5%) and UH (66.4% and 87.5%) values were similar and higher than those of the other coefficients (~51.8% and ~81.2%). The collected depths, applied by the hose/shower irrigation system, showed high spatial variability and, consequently, low values of uniformity, being classified as poor or unacceptable. The irrigating bar promoted higher values of uniformity coefficients, being classified as good. Irrigation efficiencies were 53.97 and 85.97% for hose/shower and irrigation bar systems, respectively. The hose/shower system has low performance in the irrigation of clay tennis courts. The irrigation bar system, for providing technical, operational, and economic benefits, and has the potential to be used in the irrigation of clay tennis courts.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Agricultural Irrigation / methods
Clay
Tennis*
Water
Wettability

Substances

Water
Clay

Grants and funding

The present study was supported by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel - Brazil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001 and National Council for Scientific and Technological Development - Brazil (CNPq). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.