How to support rocks on edge of vinyl pool?

[wpbucher]

I currently rent a house with a vinyl pool. It has a rock waterfall and large rocks on the edge of the pool.
See attached picture.
[attachment=0:z9uxoilk]CopingToRockTransition.jpg[/attachment:z9uxoilk]
We are building a house and want to recreate this look with a Fox pool.

How do you support the rocks so that they don't move and crush/deform the pool?

Thanks for your help.

 

[jblizzle]

They must be resting on some structure (or just earth) outside of the pool structure and then cantilevered over the pool. I would imagine great care would have to be taken to ensure that whatever is use to support the rock will not settle and start to place weight on the pool structure.

Note the center of gravity of the rocks is roughly in the middle, so the larger the rock, the more distance that can be cantilevered over ... of course you would not want to hang 50% out there as the rock would be pretty unstable.

 

[swimcmp]

You need a solid footing or foundation for this. Anything less will eventually cause the pool wallto collapse.

 

[wpbucher]

I excavated on the back side of one of the rocks. The rocks sit on a 4.5" thick slab that is 2 feet wide.
I dug a bit more and with my hand excavated under the rock. I was looking for some support structure.
I dug out dirt until I became concerned that the rock might shift and trap my arm. I could find no support.
The slab was not on a stone base, just dirt. The pool and rocks were constructed 15 years ago, so this configuration is working.

Fox Pools use an x-brace that incorporates the pool deck into the structure. The pool deck is 3 feet wide. Thus, the pool deck and rocks that sit on the pool deck are part of the pool structure.

Since the x-brace holds up the pool deck then a strengthened x-brace should be able to hold up the pool deck and rocks on top. At least that is my current thought on this.

I was thinking of placing sonotubes filled with concrete and 90 degree rebar in a radial pattern (top and bottom) between the x-braces. The rest of the cavity could be filled with crushed stone. I could also increase the thickness of the footer and deck...and add wire mesh / rebar.

Or am I off-base on this? Perhaps you simply can't place real rocks on the edge of a Fox pool.

 

[swimcmp]

Real rocks will require more support than "fake" rocks. Inquire with the manufacturer what they recommend for supporting the rocks, they will tell you what you need to do to maintain a valid warranty on the wall structure. Don't take for granted the manufacturer is the one you have to please in case you would have damage from this in the future due to incorrect installation.

 

[bobby1017]

Not quite the same situation but when I was building I wanted a diving rock on my 30" tall raised bond beam. For a 5000# boulder the cost increase for structural improvements was approx $10,000 to support it. I had a engineer do the calcs that I paid him $500 for, needless to say I don't have a diving rock. I have a feeling his design was overkill but I'm not an engineer.

 

[swimcmp]

Better overkill than a 5000# boulder in your what used to be a pool

 

[bobby1017]

Better overkill than a 5000# boulder in your what used to be a pool

True, that would be a real mess.