[Ferro List] optimal usage of materials

[Kosta Dellios]

Let me start by first wishing everybody on the list a happy New Year.  

One of the big projects I'm intending to start in 2008 is the building of a big pool.  Quite an expensive project especially if done using a company so the only way I could afford it is doing it myself.   Having constructed my storm water tank myself I'm not afraid of the big task ahead.  

My questions right now are related to optimization of the wall design.  The important factors are cost, strength and ease of use.   The questions I'm struggling with right now are related to using traditional FC wall (1 skin) vs sandwich wall ( 2 FC skins on each side of a core)

If I have 4 layers of expanded metal lath available to me, what is the optimal way of using them?  

a) use all four metal layers in a thin FC wall.  
b) laminate 2 layers of lath on each side over a 10cm foam core.  
c) use 5 metal layers in thin FC wall (additional layer equivalent to cost of foam) 

If cost was the same for all options which one would you choose for strength purposes?  A follow up question will be if this strength is enough for pool walls but hopefully that is something I can expand on when I present you my final pool design. 

The pool is going to be built in-ground on expansive clay grounds.  I'm concerned about keeping the flexible aspects of the FC wall intact.  Would the FC sandwich wall also act like a flexible FC wall? 
 
Any thoughts from our experts here.

Cheers,

Kosta Dellios





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