Structural Design of Pools
Structural Design of Pools
(OP)
Hi,
I am in the early process of designing a pool. Are reinforced concrete pools designed based on retaining walls or cantilever slabs fundamental principles? And what is the general process to pool design? I was told by one of my colleagues that it should be designed as a retaining wall with two load conditions: 1.) Full Pool and 2.) Empty pool (the latter of which usually governs). I was just hoping for some advice on the general design process. Thank you
I am in the early process of designing a pool. Are reinforced concrete pools designed based on retaining walls or cantilever slabs fundamental principles? And what is the general process to pool design? I was told by one of my colleagues that it should be designed as a retaining wall with two load conditions: 1.) Full Pool and 2.) Empty pool (the latter of which usually governs). I was just hoping for some advice on the general design process. Thank you






RE: Structural Design of Pools
You could use FEA or pca tables to get moment coefficients if you're going to rely on your horizontal bar for 2way bending. If you design it as a cantilever retaining wall you'll have a conservative amount of vertical bar, but as long as you detail your corners well I can't see this being 'wrong' if a bit wasteful
One thing to note with this kind of design is the amount of liability you potentially open yourself up to. Not for failure, but when someone wants to sue you because their kids cracked their heads off your pool, their horse drowned in it - etc. I'd just make sure your insurance covers that stuff.
RE: Structural Design of Pools
RE: Structural Design of Pools
Scary??
RE: Structural Design of Pools
Living in Florida and doing forensic investigations, the problems I have seen almost always relate to emptying a pool with a high water table, or some serious soil problems. Few pools residential pools are rectangular, which helps a lot when you have curved walls (arches). Once they are full of water and backfilled, the hyrdostatic pressure is greater than the soil pressure, and the rebar goes into tension (like a tank, like the others said). Water weighs about half what soil weighs, so if it is an in-ground pool, the soil is pre-compacted by the natural surcharge, so settlement should not be an issue...
With all that said, I wouldn't touch them, there are so many variables and the biggest is the construction. And I am not sure how much number crunching I could do to come up with a reasonable design. Like others have said, if you design it as a cantilevered retaining wall with no water, I think you will get some BIG numbers and it would be your last pool design ;)
RE: Structural Design of Pools
Use lots of rebar to keep your cracks tight.
RE: Structural Design of Pools
RE: Structural Design of Pools
RE: Structural Design of Pools
I also don't think you're required to, regardless of the liner. But obviously keeping steel stress low will result in a better finished product, albeit an expensive one.
RE: Structural Design of Pools
If an outdoor pool is to be emptied in the winter, there must be an underdrainage system.
BA
RE: Structural Design of Pools
They seem to work well.
I too have seen pools "pop" out of the ground - esp fiberglass ones. Kind of funny.
RE: Structural Design of Pools
RE: Structural Design of Pools
As for the comments regarding the soil load being less than the water, I would be very surprised if the water exceeds the at rest pressure of the soil.
RE: Structural Design of Pools
RE: Structural Design of Pools
RE: Structural Design of Pools
RE: Structural Design of Pools
It also seems to be a prescriptive thing, and I think any engineering is really just stamping a design that a pool contractor has used for many years with "no problems". And the reason I do not take umbrage with this way of doing it is the pools are immediately tested to their design loads, and the last thing a contractor wants is a call back on a crack in a pool. So whatever design they are using works. And I cannot envision any life safety issues if a pool shell cracks...
I'd try my best to get a hold of some local pool design drawings before I'd dive into this pool design (bad pun). Better yet would be to talk to an engineer in your area who has designed pools. If you are not comfortable with the designs you are seeing I would not do the job. You will just get push-back from your client when you give them your design if it is not what they are used to seeing (too thick or too much rebar), regardless of how correct you may be from an analytical engineering standpoint. Its just a fact of life in pool design...