Failed Pool Under Construction

[MiniRojo]

Gunite was shot a year ago. Plumbing was started. I have photos of some pipes on interior of pool. Builder didn’t connect pipes to pump pad until a week ago.
The pool shell popped out of ground Fall of 2022. Pool builder said all was okay because the shell settled back into hole.
Pool builder put in a french drain around the perimeter during Spring 2023. We still had water in both in pool and around it.
Tile and coping and deck installed early Summer 2023.
Plaster scheduled for a Thursady a couple of weeks ago. The rain water was pumped out of shell and the pool was power washed for plaster. The next day there was about 10 inches of water in the deep end.
Plastercrew pumped it out, shot plaster.
The pool took a couple of days to fill, but I noticed we were losing water.
Meanwhile, a crew was hand digging a hole next to the pool to ready for a sump pump system. They could get far down because the hole was slowly filling with water. About 6 days after the plaster completion, I noticed a structural crack running the entire perimeter of the pool floor. We know that it’s leaking water. What caused the structural failure?

 

[BMerrill]

What caused the structural failure?

This,

The pool shell popped out of ground Fall of 2022. Pool builder said all was okay

when it wasn't ok.

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

Do you have pics taken during the pool build you can share?

You have pics after rebar and before gunite?

Pics after gunite and before the pop?

Pics of the shell popped out of the ground?

Pics of the cracks?

Did the builder put a hydrostatic drain in the pool floor and weep holed in the pool floor to release water pressure from under the shell?

What does the builder say about your cracks?

Why wasn't the cracks visible in the shell before plaster?

 

[MiniRojo]

 

[ajw22]

You have pics of the entire pool rebar?

Did you get a rebar engineering plan with specifications stamped, signed, and dated by an engineer?

That looks like minimal rebar, thin, and widely spaced. Not as much rebar structure as we see in may other builds.

 

[MiniRojo]

Welcome to TFP.

Do you have pics taken during the pool build you can share?

You have pics after rebar and before gunite?

Pics after gunite and before the pop?

Pics of the shell popped out of the ground?

Pics of the cracks?

Did the builder put a hydrostatic drain in the pool floor and weep holed in the pool floor to release water pressure from under the shell?

What does the builder say about your cracks?

Why wasn't the cracks visible in the shell before plaster?

I can’t upload phots

 

[ajw22]

For example, note difference in the rebar on this pool compared to yours. Especially by the left side pool floor.

 

[ajw22]

I can’t upload phots

Why?

You may need to resize your pics.

 

[MiniRojo]

 

[ajw22]

View attachment 533256

That pic posted but is too small to see any details.

You need to post the largest pics that work so we can see details.

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

What caused the structural failure?

Possibly many items,
can you provide a picture of any load tickets that show the mix composition, what was the hydration process after the product was applied, where any soil samples taken after the excavation, was the pool over excavated and re filled with dirt, what is the amount of water that the pool is holding when full, can you provide a picture of the shell when it shifted out of the ground?

 

[sktn77a]

The pool popped out but didn't pop back in properly. There were unsupported areas which cracked with the weight of the water. It's a complete rip out and start over.