HELP on Pool wall

[nletchworth]

My name is Nicole and I am hoping someone can help me. We attempted to build an above ground lap pool on concrete. The pool measured 75 feet long, 7 feet wide, and 4 feet deep. We had a liner to hold the water. The rear of the pool and the right side 75 foot wall was the structure of the building (see pictures). The left 75 foot wall and front of the pool were cinderblock that had rebar every 16 inches and then each hole was filled with concrete. We hired a certified contractor to build the wall, and it failed. Now, we think the wall was not supported enough because that 75 foot wall had no supports down that 75 foot run at all- only the rebar. The wall completely fell over in one piece once the pool was about 4 inches from full, so it fell top heavy. See images, it cracked on the corner and it was a horrible mess!! We have now gotten rid of the mess and want to give this another go! We already have this building and do not want to make the lap pool outdoors- we want it in this building.

We would like to make all 4 sides thick wood (2x8) that is reinforced every 16 inches both on the inside and outside of both 75 foot walls, making it a sports bottom pool. Another words, if you are looking at the shape of the pool from end to end,

instead of looking like this I___I

it would be
/I\___/I\

with the I part of this image, each being the 75 foot wall.

We were also going to run a MINIMUM of 4 posts from ceiling to floor (maybe 6 but we are thinking 4)- one on each end and 2 in the middle, all 4 on the left side to prevent collapse of that wall. Everything will be bolted into the slab rather than shot nailed in.

Is this enough support? We feel like we are decreasing gallons by making the bottom a sports bottom rather than flat, and better supporting that left wall that fell, combined with building it from a material that gives more than cinderblock. Would this work???? Any help would be so appreciated!

 

[Tex.Eng]

I understand the difficulty finding an engineer to take on this project in a rural area. However, physics works the same in rural or non-rural areas.

I would hire a POOL contractor with experience building above ground pools and indoor pools. They will subcontract the necessary engineering and help determine the proper building materials. Timber would not be my first choice, however, post #10 has an interesting timber pool which I've never seen before... Maybe it could work. If you stick with masonry, I would not use the same mason (hopefully this is obvious).

Have you considered finding an above ground pool manufacturer to make you a custom above ground pool? These may be somewhat DIY friendly.

Sidebar - but I don't see any returns or skimmers in your pictures. How were you planning to filter and move your water?

Sidebar #2 - I'm not an electrician, but exposed wire so close to a body of water seems suspect to me.

A pool specific online community such as Trouble Free Pool may offer you better support than Eng Tips. However, no one online anywhere (with meaningful experience) will tell if your timber idea will work or not.

 

[Tomfh]

Yes the anchorages to the slab failed and the wall fall over. With DIY pools, deep poles, or lots of braces are the answer.

 

[Tomfh]

Timber would not be my first choice, however, post #10 has an interesting timber pool which I've never seen before... Maybe it could work

Yeah at first sight it seems an odd choice of material, but here in Australia at least there is a thriving timber kit pool industry. I know two friends who did it. It seemed crazy to me. But here they are with pools now. Lol. A Pool for 1/3 the price of tradittional pool.