Swimming Pool Expert Witness & Designer Ground Movement

The Importance of a Soils Report and Soils Engineer

Few, if any swimming pool designers or contractors are trained geologists or soils engineers.  And none are doing their clients any favors by not including a soils expert on a project team.  

Why is this so important, you ask?  Buildings rest UPON the soils, wherein a swimming pool is built entirely WITHIN the soils.   Pools are even more dependent upon the soils than a building built upon the surface.  Yet a soils report is always commissioned to assist the structural engineer in designing a building's foundation.

Soils are one of the largest loads upon a swimming pool.  Depending upon the pools' design, loads may also occur from snow, wind, surf, slopes and seismic events.

The International Building Code (IBC) requires that ALL structures be engineered to withstand the anticipated loads that may be placed upon them.  A swimming pool is a STRUCTURE, therefore it must comply with the code.  A version of the IBC has been adopted by every state in the US (the year of edition varies by state), so it applies to every pool built within our borders.  California and Florida have adopted codes that are even more stringent than the basic IBC. 

But those codes are not enforced in my region...  you say.
You're right, building code enforcement across the country is spotty.  In the likely event of structural issues or a personal injury, the codes will be applied and compared to what was actually constructed.  And if the builder deviated from those codes, they will be held financially liable for the repairs.

Incompetent soils that do not support a pool or expansive clay soils that lift or stress a pool are the most common soil defects. 
Mitigating soil conditions UNDER an existing pool are virtually impossible. 

In an attempt to be cost competitive, many pool builders omit the inclusion of a soils expert in their projects.  Some even omit engineered plans from their projects.  In the event of settlement, heave or pool cracking the pool builder is liable for these conditions.

Had these events occurred and they included these experts and followed their recommendations, then the liability would be upon those experts.



Paolo Benedetti 
Aquatic Artist, Consultant & Construction Defect Expert Witness
"Creating water as art."™ 
Aquatic Technology Pool and Spa 
©www.aquatictechnology.com

Epic Pools Swimming Pool Designs Designer World Famous and Award Winning

A project is only good as it's design... Epic Pools design failures.

Everything and the kitchen sink...

Seriously evaluate the swimming pools that you see on TV or in the media.  Almost every one is an epic pool design failure.  No thought is made to any details, the architecture or integrating the swimming pool environment into the site.

Recent media coverage featured a number of large scale pools that were absolutely hideous in their design and execution.  The details were carried out with home improvement warehouse products.  Stainless steel handrails, round plastic deck drains, features stuffed everywhere... just because the owners could afford it.

Worthless fire features.... nothing more that torches in bowls.  Placed in areas where people could not gather or sit around the heat to socialize.

Just because a client want's to replicate Las Vegas... pirate ships, volcanoes, bridges, swinging ropes and geyser fountains does not mean that it is RIGHT.

These elements can be included in projects tastefully.  But that key work is often ignored.... "tastefully."

Money does not buy Class

Just because someone can afford to include everything on a project, does not mean that it is "right."  Most people who design swimming pools are not designers.  Most are contractors or salesmen who bundle off the shelf or catalog products into a mish-mash of a backyard.  They are not looking out for the client's best interest.. they are looking out for their own pocketbooks!

Clients that express a desire to incorporate features that may not exactly fit the architecture, can be accommodated.  This is where the talent of a true designer comes into play.  Hanging a plasma screen tv into a project is easy - concealing it, when it is not in use takes some talent.

Building a slide or swing rope are easy, but to incorporate them so that they are not detracting from the project when not, in use takes design talent.

I'm not saying that projects cannot be fun and include lots of things to keep the kids busy... the designer just needs to take the time to design them into the project.   Any nit-wit can slap things on the pool deck or around the pool.. and that's exactly what it will look like.... a pile of rocks on a flat yard, unusable fire features ridiculous water falls.

Remember - you're going to be looking at the pool a lot more than you're going to be swimming in it.  And soon, the kids will be grown and you'll be stuck with that monstrosity in the back yard.  

Paolo Benedetti 
Aquatic Artist, Consultant & Construction Defect Expert Witness 
"Creating water as art."™ 
Aquatic Technology Pool and Spa 
©www.aquatictechnology.com