Crazy Bond Beam Dilemma

[dave_w]

So I thought my bond beam had failed when tiles started popping out around the waterline and the thin set was cracking all the way around the pool at about the same height. I just moved into the house a few years ago and the pool was re-plastered and tiled just before hand. I don't know anything more about the history except that the original pool was put in in late 60's. I assumed it was a cold joint failure at the coping causing the issues. Its a cantilevered concrete deck. Upon further digging it looks like somebody raised the deck at some point by about 7 inches and the cracks I am seeing are all exactly at the spot between where the top of the original gunite and the added concrete deck meet (about 7" down the pool wall. There is no sealer or cold joint between them. Just an open 1/2" gap covered with plaster, mortar, and tiles. This now also explains why the water level and skimmer sit so low. The silicone at the top of the tiles is only tile and plaster deep.

So now I'm left resolving this. Any thoughts short of demo and rebuild? Thanks in advance.....

 

[duraleigh]

Wow! That is just amazing

 

[gwegan]

Wow. A pool deck pounding on the back of the tile line.

I have some bad ideas. A deep one inch channel filled with something a foot back from the edge?

 

[Patrick_B]

Yea, not sure I've ever seen this one before...sorry to hear about this.

 

[gwegan]

Not so bad solution.

Remove all the title. Cut back the under lip portion of the upper slab an inch or so and install the title over a backer material as they appear to have done.
The title won't be well supported and you will have a void but the slab should move without affecting the title.

I don't really like that idea either.