floating a gunite pool

Is it possible for a filled gunite pool to float?  I have come across asituation where it appears that a pool (not built by me) has floatedwhile the water was still about 3/4 full.  Has anyone had any experiencewith this or have any ideas where to go to find out some information.

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  • The Answer to your Question is yes,

    Concrete loses 40% 0f its weight in water and depending and the pools displacement it could float when 3/4 full.

    Kiwi Norman

    www.poolquartz.co.nz

  • it absolutely can. what makes you think it has floated? has it lifted evenly.

    tony c
    www.monogramcustompools.com
  • It is possible for a gunite pool to float. Anytime that you can, check the hydrostat. Sometimes, I pull the hydrostst and clean the 12" -18" vert. pipe under it. Never replace a hydrostat with a threaded plug.

    Just because the pool now has 3/4 of the water in it, does not mean that was the water level when it floated.

    Archimedes Principal--- When the weight of the structure is less that the weight of the water that it displaces---the structure will float.

    A boat is a structure that holds water out. A pool is a structure that holds water in. Both should be water tight.


    A floated pool is typically higher in the deep end area. The deep end floats first. The mud/dirt/gravel sloughs under the deep end and holds it up, in the wrong position.  

    What is your goal?

  • A filled concrete pool can float.  The vessel must be lighter than the water it displaces.

  • Do you know what the ground water table is? Are you near water? I once emptied a pool and drilled a 3/4" hole in the shallow end and the ground water shot up 8'. That was 5 1/2' past the deck. When we checked, the pool was in the middle of an underground steam. Fortunately the builder had an 2"under suction line that we could plumb a diaphragm pump up to. The pump ran for 2 weeks with no reduction in volume. That being said, it seems unlikely that only a reduction of 1/4 of the pool would float the pool. Any earthquakes in the past? Or did the pool settle on one end?
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