St r u c t u r a l St r a t e g i e s

When Pools
Crack
By Ron Lacher
It’s unfortunate, but sometimes the
concrete structures of watershapes
will crack or fail in some other way.
Determining the exact cause of such
problems is the job of an expert who
knows what to look for, says civil en-
gineer Ron Lacher, who adds that
avoiding trouble involves learning
from one’s own past mistakes as well
as the mistakes of others – and then
applying that knowledge in ways that
protect future concrete structures
against failure.

E ven though many swimming pools

look similar in lots of fundamen-
tal ways, every one of them is actually
quite unique.
be left alone to pressure the contractor
who installed the vessel to take responsi-
bility and foot what can be a sizable bill
for setting things straight.
failures,we as an industry are better able to
accommodate the variables found in what
we do and advance our knowledge in such
a way that we can avoid future problems.
From soil and groundwater conditions When experts get involved, the foren- As an engineer specializing in water-
or the specifics of their structural designs sic process can vary greatly depending on shapes, I’ve found through my own in-
to the ways in which they have been in- the situation. Sometimes the problem is volvement in these situations that there
stalled, water-containing vessels of all readily apparent with a brief visual in- are often two basic factors pointing to
shapes, types and sizes are, in fact, subject spection; other times, however, deter- structural problems – one being soil con-
to a wide array of site- and workmanship- mining a cause can require a detailed in- ditions, the other being workmanship. A
specific variables that can influence the vestigation that can itself be costly. But key observation is that these two factors
way their concrete shells will perform let’s take a look at my experience in such are absolutely interrelated in that the soil
through the years. processes and see how such hassles might conditions invariably dictate the specifics
When a watershape cracks, any num- be avoided in the first place. of the structure.
ber of things might have gone wrong. To A concrete swimming pool, which is
the owner of a watershape,of course,such FAILURE FORENSICS the type of vessel I’ll use throughout this
cracking is obviously a source of concern. If there’s an upside to watershape fail- article to illustrate the issues involved in
The fix is often expensive, and it’s not at ures, it is first of all that these are not gen- watershape failures, can be placed suc-
all unusual for contractors to defend their erally life-threatening defects and usual- cessfully in virtually any type of soil so
work as a means of avoiding the necessi- ly do end up being resolved one way or long as it has been designed properly and
ty of paying to remedy the situation. another, even if it takes months and the installed per a structural design that takes
This can leave the owner in a very dif- help of arbitrators. Some contractors and soil conditions into account.
ficult position in which experts must be homeowners do a better job than others But where workmanship issues can be
called in to determine the true cause of of keeping that basic point in mind. quite straightforward because there are
the problem – and then he or she might Another benefit is that by studying our recognized standards and also because

©2009 WaterShapes. Reproduced by permission.

problems are often apparent through a simple
physical inspection, soils issues can, by contrast,
be tricky in that pool contractors are not required
to be geologists. Nor is a soils report required for
each and every job: In newer residential devel-
opments, for example, it’s presumed that the soil
conditions are uniform.
There’s also the plain fact that even in situa-
tions where a geologist has dug “test pits,” soils
reports don’t always catch everything that’s go-
ing on in the ground. What this means is that
there are gray areas in some situations, so anyone
examining a failed structure must gain access to
the plans, contracts, soils reports, inspection cer-
tificates and any other existing documentation
to get to the bottom of things.
More important, it also means that a pool con-
tractor needs to be knowledgeable enough to be
on the lookout for problems as the project moves
forward. Often (but not always), variations in con-
ditions that might lead to problems will be open-
ly visible, for instance, when the hole is excavated
for a pool. That’s the case with uncompacted fill,
for example, which may have a different color, tex-
ture and appearance than will properly compact-
ed or otherwise reliable soil. With the water lowered beneath the tile line, it’s obvious that this pool has shift-
Many contractors I know are experienced ed out of level. The upper left corner is higher than the upper right corner,
enough to see problems during excavation and can and it’s easy to see the narrowing band of white as the eye moves along the
raise the issue with the homeowner before con- right side of the vessel. While the damage is clear, the causes aren’t always ob-
struction proceeds. Although such a revelation vious and call for investigation by a professional armed with knowledge and
about soil conditions may result in a structural re- a proper set of forensic tools.
design and typically in increased costs, it’s far bet-
ter to avoid potential problems up front.
And make no mistake: I’m not arguing that con- there’s no water in the pool, I use an engineer’s level on a tripod and com-
tractors should act like geologists. Instead, my pare the levels at various points around the pool. A laser or water level will
point is that if you see something that looks ques- also work.)
tionable, it’s time to stop working, step back and The next thing I look at is the location and orientation of any cracks.
call in experts to help you make decisions based If, for example, one end of the pool has settled, you’ll typically see a verti-
on firm technical data. Guesswork and “rules of cal crack that’s wider at the top (near the bond beam). From this, you can
thumb” will only lead to trouble. make a reliable assumption that the pool shell has lost support beneath the
end that has settled and that the hinge point has emanated as a crack.
ON-SITE EXAMINATION Obviously, if a pool has become out of level, part of the pool will be high-
When failures do occur, there are so many pos- er than the rest of it. So how can you tell if the higher portion of the pool
sible variables involved in a pool’s predicament has risen or if the lower portion has settled? That’s a determination that
that it is important for the investigator to take an takes years of experience and is based on the location and orientation of
extremely systematic approach to examining the the cracking as well as other evidence observed at the site.
site. In my case, that boils down to a straightfor- If, for example, you see a crack that emanates from the floor or near the
ward mental checklist. bottom of the wall, then you start to get the impression that the pool may
If a pool has cracked, for example, the first thing have been lifted up by expansive soil or hydrostatic pressure.
I do is compare the actual waterline with the grout I’m often called to sites where I find a failed pool that has been built be-
lines in the waterline tile to see if the structure is hind a retaining wall. If the retaining wall is downslope of the pool and has
out of level or has rotated. Because the actual wa- a footing that’s lower than the bottom of the pool, I immediately suspect
terline is always level and because the swimming that part of the pool was built over reliable soil and that part was put on fill.
pool tile is supposed to be level, you can examine This is what is known as a cut/fill transition, and building on one of them
where the water touches the tile and tell whether generally spells trouble.
part of the pool has become raised or lowered. (If Slope creep is another extremely common cause of a cracked or ro-

©2009 WaterShapes. Reproduced by permission.

 tated pool. When vessels are located near the top
of unretained descending slopes, frequently the
surface of the slope is pulled slowly downward by
gravity, leaving the vessel unsupported. In these
situations, it is likely that there will be visual evi-
dence of the slope’s movement, such as leaning
fences or rotated surface improvements near the
top of the slope.
I also explore issues of pool movement or rota-
tion by inspecting the gaps in expansion or mastic
joints that surround coping stones. If, for example,
slope creep is influencing the pool shell, I’m likely
to see mastic joints near the top of the slope that are
spreading apart or shearing as a result of lateral
movement. In the case of movement of a slope up-
hill from a pool, I’ll usually find compressed joints
on the uphill side – that is, the mastic material will
bulge out of the top of joint as the movement of the
soil compresses adjoining decking slabs.
The presence of the high water tables frequently
found in low-lying areas is another possible cause
of structural failure. In extreme cases, empty pools
will lift or float out of the ground. A word of cau-
tion: It’s not uncommon to float an empty pool that
has been placed at the bottom of a nearby ascend-
ing slope. Water moving through bedding planes
and down the slope saturates the area around the
shell and can result in spectacular failures. It’s quite
a shock to see a floated pool in a hillside area, miles
from known high-water-table areas!
There are, of course, less-dramatic examples
of groundwater-related problems, as when it in-
trudes into expansive soils and causes lateral move-
ment as well as upward pressure when the soil
swells, loses friction and forms slip planes that
makes things move.

SIMPLE TOOLS
When I inspect failed pools, I carry a couple of
very important tools with me. Both are about as
low-tech as can be, but they can be extraordinarily
helpful in pinpointing problems.
The first is a crow bar. When I see cracking in the
shell or on the steps of a pool, I’ll just tap the plas-
ter surface firmly and listen carefully to the sound.
When an area is structurally sound,the bar will make
a solid sound with a ring to it. By contrast, when I

One of the ways to tell what’s going on with a pool shell in-
volves inspecting the mastic joints that separate the coping
from the surrounding deck. If the joint is compressed (as
above), I look for an uphill slope that might be creeping and
pressing the deck up against the joint. By contrast, if the
joint has widened, there may be movement in a downhill
slope that is carrying the deck away from the pool.

©2009 WaterShapes. Reproduced by permission.

 With the pool empty, an engineer’s level will quick-
ly tell you how far out of level the pool has become
and in what areas. (A laser or water level will also
do the trick.) This offers many clues to the source of
the problem that can be confirmed by additional
exploration of the shell, any cracking that may be
apparent and the pool’s surroundings.

One of my tools is a crowbar. Where I see cracks,

I tap the plaster surface firmly and listen. When
an area is structurally sound, I hear a solid ring.
If the area is hollow, there’s a distinctly hollow thud.
This simple technique tells me a lot about what’s
going on beneath a pool’s surface.

tap an area that is hollow (such as damaged plaster or delaminated gunite), shape or form – any substitute for a certified
there’s a distinctly hollow sound. This is a simple technique that gives me im- soils reports or proper engineering. Just the
portant information about where the problems are beneath a pool’s surface. same, they can be very helpful in helping to
Another favorite tool is a probe – a simple, straight, narrow metal bar with avoid problems down the line.)
a “T” at one end for a handle and a point at the other end. Soil technicians In general, my informal observations on site
are frequently seen using this tool when examining the bottom of pool exca- with my crowbar and probe will almost always
vations. Under firm pressure, the pointed end of the probe should not pene- lead to an examination of a soils report and/or
trate competent soil. the grading plan for the home or subdivision.
If penetration into the subgrade soil is easy after portions of the pool shell Often times, I will spot cut/fill transitions or
have been removed, it’s a clear sign that the underlying soil is the likely culprit other soil conditions that might be congruent
in the vessel’s structural distress. If that penetration is not easy, the soil is much with movement of the pool shell. I might also
more likely to be suitable. see the presence of bedding planes that might
(For contractors, this exercise would be particularly useful during excavation transmit groundwater through the area or ob-
when soil differences are spotted. Keep in mind that when the probe won’t pen- serve soil types that may result in slope creep.
etrate the pool’s subgrade soil it’s only one indicator, not a guarantee that the As mentioned above, mass-graded housing
soil is suitable for the structure. By contrast, if the probe easily penetrates the subdivisions will often have soils reports that
subgrade soil, you can rest assured that you’re working on material that likely apply to the entire area. In these situations, you
will not support a heavy concrete structure such as a pool. can generally count on the reliability of the soil,
(It’s important to remember that these tools and techniques are – in no way, but I’ve also seen situations where the grading

©2009 WaterShapes. Reproduced by permission.

 A probe – that is, a long bar pointed at one end with a “T” han-
dle at the other – is used to check on the condition of the soil
around a shell. If the probe enters the soil easily, it is unlikely that
the soil is supporting the shell adequately. If the soil resists, the soil
may be competent – meaning we need to find the source of
the problem elsewhere.

plied over the reinforcement is insufficient.

Another common cause of failure is steel that hasn’t been
adequately tied. When gunite or shotcrete is applied, ma-
terial comes out of the hose at a high velocity and hits the re-
inforcing steel,causing it to vibrate. If the steel has not been
properly tied,this vibration can lead to expanses of shell with
incomplete encasement. The result is effectively an unre-
inforced shell that will be susceptible to reflective cracking.
Another common workmanship failure involves in-
stallation of decking that lacks proper expansion joints.
This can lead to extensive cracking in the decking because
the decks can’t move freely with any expansion of the soil.
We also see problems with the expansion joints that sep-
arate the coping from the deck: If they’re not properly
installed pressure against the bond beam from temper-
ature expansion of the deck will often lead to horizontal
cracks at the tile line.
There are numerous other workmanship issues – skim-
mer installation, for instance, or the interfacing of shells
and compaction wasn’t properly supervised and problems have arisen with cantilevered decks or the installation of artificial or
in specific areas. Again, the best place to catch those sorts of prob- real rockwork – that can come into play. The potential
lems is during construction – and especially during excavation. problems here are so substantial that discussion of them
Because there is no certainty without a detailed soils report re- will have to wait for another article.
flecting conditions on a specific plot of land, I always tell builders to The most important point to take away from this dis-
watch for soils that just don’t look quite right. Excavators can be par- cussion now is that each setting, each pool and each failure
ticularly helpful here and should be reminded to inform the pool is a little bit different. This can sometimes lead to frustra-
contractor if they encounter any significant differences in the tex- tion with the inspection process, because there is strong de-
ture or firmness of the soil as they remove it. sire for a clear-cut resolution and an agreed-upon course
If available, construction photos or even some before-and-after of remediation.
photos of the site can be helpful in determining the cause of a sub- In California, which is where I do much of my work, it
sequent problem. Photographs taken of slopes before construction, is fortunate that there are rules governing these investiga-
of the excavation process or during construction of retaining walls tions that allow me to render my opinions based on estab-
are particularly valuable when it comes to understanding the caus- lished standards. Sometimes, the homeowner or the con-
es of failure. tractor who is left to foot the cost of rehabilitating a pool
will disagree with my findings, however, and will end up
WORKMANSHIP ISSUES taking the matter to attorneys and into court.
For all of the variables introduced by soils conditions and ground- I know from my own experience as an expert witness
water intrusion, there are times when the real problem leading to a that it’s tough to predict how things will go in court or fore-
cracked shell is a failure of workmanship. Improper gunite or shot- cast how a jury will respond to the information presented
crete application – especially in the form of inadequate coverage of during a trial. If you honestly think the homeowner or a
reinforcing steel – is probably the most common of these issues. developer or someone else should bear the responsibility
One of the things I look for when I suspect such failures is what for the failure, press on. If not, be aware as a contractor that
I call “reflective cracking.” This is the series of cracks that sometimes once you enter the legal realm, you might just end up los-
forms in the pattern of the reinforcing steel in the concrete shell, and ing more than you would have had you simply bitten the
I’ve seen it in a lot in spa dams and other freestanding walls, includ- bullet in the first place.
ing vanishing-edge weir walls. In these cases, the gunite has not prop- Better yet, I suggest paying attention to details of soils,
erly encased the steel, which can happen if the reinforcement is out groundwater or workmanship in the first place – and avoid-
of position for some reason or if the thickness of the gunite ap- ing problems completely.

©2009 WaterShapes. Reproduced by permission.