Crack found in new FB pool!

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Gotcha...side question...do you have a SUMP PIT plumped into your system to keep the ground water around the pool at a minimal ?

If not, don't assume that water is all from a leak -as it could be ground water...and if so, that empty FG pool is in a ton of trouble...meaning what is stopping that shell from popping completely due to hydrostatic pressure ?
 
The weight of the water in the pool would have almost certainly prevented the pool from bulging when it was full. It may have already been an issue before you emptied the pool (i.e. the water was sat there from the leak) it just didn't become apparent until the weight of the water above it was removed allowing the water pressure which was already underneath the pool to push the bottom of the pool up. It may also have been just water from the water table that was already in the ground.
 
yeah I assumed it's from the leak but good point if it wasn't would see it due to water pushing it down. For sure it's not water already in the ground because they hit solid 4 feet limestone. will see once they dig on the side.bulge should go away once water is drained underneath.
 
Yep, a leak can cause a fiberglass pool to bulge when full of water. I had one that developed a leak in the return jet fitting behind the wall. When the sand backfill got wet the weight of the sand was more than the pressure from the water and the wall bulged in even though the pool was full of water. Not saying that’s the case here, obviously the bulge appeared after the pool was empty, but it can happen.
 
So repair crew came out over the weekend and are set to start repair tomorrow. They will break pre-existing concrete I have next to the coping concrete and dig down till the reach the side pool area where crack is. Then will pump water out from underneath and then proceed to repair the crack. Hoping it will be done this week so I can have pool ready for the weekend. Will post pictures as work starts tomorrow.
 
Some bulge while the pool is empty is common enough. It is probably water from the water table pushing on the pool walls from the outside. There are things you can do about it, but generally the best thing is to get the pool filled back up soon and the bulge should then be gone. In severe cases it can cause problems, but your description doesn't sound severe.
 

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So hole digging was complete and most if not all of the leaked water has been pumped out. Floor bulge did subside a bit but not by much, I thought it would have come back down. So that has me concerned. Suggestion now is to patch the crack and fill pool about 3 feet and then see if floor straigthens out and how it feels. If that feels good and leveled we good, else pool will need to come out and be replaced. I am hesitant since I thought pool floor would straigthen out now that water is out and what/how structure may be affected.
 
Well - I assume it was "not bulging" when they installed it ? If not, then the bulge has to come from one of three things:

1) upward water pressure (eliminated that)
2) sideways pressure - meaning the walls have MOVED inward and causing this bow
3) it has somehow deformed...and if water straightens it, will that now cause STRESS somewhere else.

Perhaps you have a FILL ISSUE that is causing all this.

Did they tell you WHY they thought it cracked ?
And how big was the CRACK on the outside of the pool ?
How much water did you lose again due to this crack, i.e. 1 FT in the pool, etc. ?
 
bulge was not there before it was caused from leaked water from the crack. Pool cracked because they installed it too close and I even pointed out when they dug hole and set pool that there was a piece of rock (I had solid rock at 4feet deep) that was too close to the wall, but foreman said it's not an issue the side backfill material will go in between. Even now that they dug hole on outside they saw rock was touching pool which is what caused the crack. I would say it's about 7 inches long. Water lost was about 3 1/2inches from the pool.
 
My fiberglass pool that bulged from the broken return line did not return to flush on its own. They dug out all the fill from behind the wall, then used 2x4s, braced across the pool, to flatten the bulge. Different situation with the bulge in the floor, though. Also different in that my pool was nearly 30 years old at the time.

Are you sure the bulge came after the crack? My walls started bulging from tree roots, I developed a crack in the bottom, and then the return fitting broke causing large bulges to form on the wall. All this took place over about 18 months, and I wonder if the stress from the bulging wall caused the crack on the bottom, as well as the break in the return fitting.

Depending on the fill used under the pool it may have shifted from the water. I had a couple places where, over time, the fill had shifted and the bottom of the pool was wavy. One of the places did end up developing a crack.
 
So if it were me...they would be replacing the pool. UNLESS they are willing to step up with some kind of MASSIVELY BINDING Warranty on future issues. I know fiberglass fairly well...and a it is strong. If still bulging when no water under....water in the pool will flatten it...but the bulge is a stress of some sort...flattening will cause an equal stress somewhere else. It can FLEX slightly - but this sound a bit more than a slight flex.
 
yeah bulging in the floor was after the crack appeared.I had 4 feet solid rock when digging so no roots or anything like that. Crack was caused by pool touching on side wall piece of rock, even when they dug hole now to get to the crack they noticed rock near wall of pool. Fill used was pea gravel with just a tiny layer of sand on top.
 
bulge has gone down from when water was under it that's for sure. I have already asked about extending warranty and also specifically writing that this issue/crack will not affect warranty so I am covered from that standpoint. They will be repairing crack today. It's last test to fill pool a bit and see tomorrow how floor feels. If it feels uneven or bulge is not down, pool will come out and new one will be installed. Will keep you posted.
 
Crack is fixed and curing. Bulge went down a bit but not very much. Will backfill pool where we dug hole and tomorrow and start filling up to see if bulge goes away and how floor looks. this will determine if we good or if it needs to come out (hope not)
 

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