Texas Concrete is NOT Roman Concrete: Rash of Central Texas Swimming Pool Failures

Last edited Mon Nov 4, 2024, 10:12 AM - Edit history (1)

It goes beyond swimming pools. It’s just that those are the first structures to be failing because of improperly mixed concrete.

The root cause of the improper mix most likely being the “business friendly” non-regulation which is so prominent in Texas.

…Gregerson’s pool is suspected of having “concrete cancer,” the popular term for alkali-silica reaction (ASR), a condition that has affected more than 250 swimming pools built across the region since 2017 and for which there is no permanent fix…Afflicted pools include ones located in luxury apartment complexes as well as behind single-family homes. Experts say concrete in everything from house foundation slabs to stormwater control systems may also be affected, though it could take years for symptoms to show…

…The growing number of unhappy customers has invited scrutiny of an industry that experts say is poorly regulated in Texas, a state whose top officials take pride in placing the interests of businesses over those of consumers. Paolo Benedetti, a pool builder, educator, and consultant in California, says some builders in Texas, who aren’t required to be licensed to construct pools, have “always been kind of flying by the seat of their pants.” Those working in cities that inspect pools are supposed to follow certain codes, but the codes are not always enforced, and some unincorporated counties don’t even require building permits for pools.

Benedetti and others say some ASR has been exacerbated by bad construction practices, including skimping on steel reinforcing rods, or rebars, which can also cause cracks that let in more water. Mukhopadhyay explains that while the moisture within concrete is sometimes enough to initiate the reaction, ASR can progress at an extremely slow rate for years until cracks caused by structural issues speed up and exacerbate its development. “The problem we have is that nobody is holding the pool contractors or any contractor responsible for their workmanship,” Benedetti says. “There’s this whole lineage of unaccountability, so the perfect storm hit, and there weren’t any checks and balances in place, and the whole house of cards fell. And who’s holding the bag? The homeowners…”

https://www.texasmonthly.com/style/concrete-cancer-pool-crack-epidemic-central-texas/

(Crosspost Texas and GD if that’s OK since do think it of wider interest)

EDIT: Some people getting paywalled! I don't subscribe to Texas Monthly (bunch of Commies? JOKE)

Followed this link from apple news https://apple.news/AH4TIlM_sQiacx0lauwLy-Q

Perhaps that would work if you are getting paywalled?