Calculating weight distibuted on concrete slab with pool on top

[Mikepier]

I have been using my Intex Ultra frame pool for the past few years on my concrete slab in my backyard and was just curious what is the actual weight distributed on the concrete.

The pool is 14 feet round and holds 3,300 gallons of water. A gallon of water weighs 8.35 pounds, so that equates to 27,555 pounds on the slab.

Calculating the area of the pool, radius^2*PI= 49*3.14= approx 154 ft/sq

So if I divide the weight of the water by the square footage:

27,555/154= 179 lbs per square foot.

Meaning there is 179lbs of weight per square foot on the slab, correct?

How does this relate to the standard strength of concrete? Is it usually 3,000 PSI?

[trader_4]

I think it's one more math step. A sq ft is 144 sq in. 179/144 = 1.2 PSI.

Whatever the performance of the concrete is, I think in that application it's irrelevant. What's going to determine if anything happens is going to mostly be:

1 - The stabilized (hopefully) base that it was poured on. By far that the most critical. 2 - That the slab is the correct thickness. I guess the strength of the concrete would come into play there too, but I would think you're better off with typical concrete at 4" thick, than extra strong concrete at 2" thick. Whether it has rebar or similar would be a factor too.

[Don Phillipson]

If there is a standard, it is probably shown on line at the US National Bureau of Standards.

179 lb. per square foot seems safe and normal. Lots of people weigh 179 pounds and the bottom surface of their shoes totals less than 144 square inches.

[Susan Bugher]

Probably easier in most cases to just measure the depth of water & multiply by 62.4 lb/SF (in your case 2.87' of water.)

I gather the pool puts a uniform compressive load on the concrete slab. Concrete is strong in compression but relatively weak in tension.(it doesn't bend well). if the ground under the slab provides uniform support but is weak/compressible the entire slab may sink. If the ground support is NOT uniform the slab may crack but cracking is more likely to be caused by loads that are NOT uniform - cars and trucks for example.

Susan

[NotMe]

Matters not the area of the pool. Use the depth of the water to calculate the load (in^2, Ft^2). The reality after two years the damage is done/not done. If damaged you may need to fix when the pool is removed. If not damaged you have no problem

[smillman9]

I want to put a above ground pool near a retaining wall and wonder how the weight of the water will be distributed underground. The retaining wall is 6 feet high. The pool is round and 10 feet in diameter. The water is 42 inches high. The closest part of the round pool is 5 feet from the retaining wall. Is the force of the water going straight down so there is no effect on the retaining wall or does the force of the water radiate outSo it will still push against the retaining wall? Thanks

[gfretwell]

The weight of the water will be 217 pounds per square foot static load plus whatever you put there by standing on the bottom. Since the water is lifting you that won't be much and your weight that is floating will be distributed across the pool. If you used 225 pounds per square foot it would not be unreasonable and I would add 25% to that for a safety factor. The side walls of the pool should be containing all of the side load so you don't need to have it touching. In fact I would avoid it. Leave an inch or so. I doubt it really matters tho.

[dpb]