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

[SorellaLaBefana]

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)

[Native]

1. paywall, ugh

[SorellaLaBefana]

4. So Sorry! I don't subscribe, and it did not paywall me??

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

Perhaps that would work?

[Native]

5. I forgot about Apple News. I subscribe so I should definitely be able to access it in full there. Thanks!

[Johnny2X2X]

2. Deregulation

It's the conservative way, consumers get screwed, but the business owners get rich.

[PurgedVoter]

3. If you walk across the TAMU campus you can see a clear change in cement

Any historic campus will probably show you the difference. The detail of cement castings from before 1970 are still clear despite exposure. After ~1970 the cement doesn't last as long, it cracks, even the brutalist style minor details are missing. Part of it is because they used sharp sand earlier, but rounded sand came in because it was cheaper. Sharp sand is less oxidized so it is more easily bonded with. It also fits together an makes a more ridged structure inside the cement. Part of it is because at one time, they used a dangerous process of baking limestone at the location when doing construction to make cement. Horrible deadly dust, and terrible stuff to work with but the fresh stuff bonded strongly. It isn't required in order to make strong cement, but their method assured the builders that they had the right mix and the materials were fresh and had not oxidized or gone through moist/dry cycles before arrival.

I am glad this is being recognized, but this has been a problem for a very long time. There are tests that can be made that can assure you of better cement, but that takes time and requires a little bit of training to perform and evaluate. In the late seventies and eighties I was a carpenter working under one of the old time quality builders. When new regulations came in, he often had to us a double structure system since the regulations required a particular way of building, but this old time builder knew what was going to last and be solid. He didn't want any house he built to fail. I think he retired after contractors started insisting on cheaper materials than plywood.

Here it the simple truth about plywood vs the stuff made by sticking fibers of wood together with glue. If either get wet, it could be a real problem, but after particle board gets wet, it won't hold a nail. The very first fiber board was kind of amazing, but it was gone before the stuff got popular. So after fiber board was proven to be amazing and strong, identical stuff replaced it but the glue was cheaper and it didn't hold a candle to the original.

So basic materials have slipped in quality. Combine that with contractors with modern Republican ethics and you got a real mess on you hands.