|
Swimming Pool Construction
High-quality
vessels are employed in Japanese gardens, water gardens, swimming pools, and
aquariums, just to name a few. While these facilities may, on the
surface, appear to be very different, underneath they often share the same
engineering principles. Westerners are particularly familiar with -
and skilled at - swimming pool construction. Many of the techniques
pioneered in the concrete swimming pool industry can also be employed in
concrete pond construction, pool waterfalls, and Japanese water gardens.
Despite its "simple" appearance, concrete is a serious material that requires study to master. Gunite pools are, after all, more than just concrete shells. They employ additional technology such as expansion joints, rebar, waterstop, bottom drains, and waterproofing. The gunite, itself, often contains admixtures that make it stronger or more durable. And gunite is just one of several options. Some pools are made of shotcrete, and others are made of regular poured concrete.
JOJG is perhaps the only "home & garden" publication that actually strives to educate its readers about this kind of industrial technology and how it can be applied to backyard garden projects. JOJG publishes a few articles each year on subjects related to concrete and swimming pool construction. A few of the articles are posted here for your review:
---------------------------------------------------------------
ENGINEERING MATERIALS FOR VESSELS This article discusses various material choices. Questions such as "What is the difference between a gunite pool and dry shotcrete?" are discussed.
WHAT IS REBAR? Known as "deformed steel bar," concrete rebar is an essential part of modern concrete swimming pools. This article discusses topics such as rebar sizes and how to use a rebar bender.
WHAT IS WATERSTOP? This article examines the topic of rubber waterstop. Waterstop is a key component in concrete expansion joints and joints designed for non-movement.
EXPANSION JOINTS Concrete expands and contracts depending on the surrounding temperature. Without expansion joints any long expanse of concrete will fail. Read this article to learn more.
REPAIRING POND CRACKS This article examines a case study of a concrete pond that failed and how the Japanese gardener in charge went about repairing it.
---------------------------------------
