Research and numerical assessment of design and construction errors in the swimming pool facility structures

Abstract

Swimming pools are characterized by high humidity, high temperature, an aggressive environment caused by disinfection processes, high energy consumption, and extensive technical infrastructure. As a result, these facilities are at high risk of damage, including structural damage, which can have catastrophic consequences in extreme cases. Adequate ventilation plays a critical role in natatoria. The technical condition of swimming pool facilities should be regularly inspected to ensure that they are safe for the public. Various techniques can be used for this purpose. In the present study, a numerical analysis of ventilation performance and an assessment of the risks associated with design and construction errors in the ventilation system were conducted in a swimming pool building with a volume of 116,280.7 m3 and a surface area of 20,188.6 m2 in north-eastern Poland. Two scenarios were analyzed: the performance of the originally designed ventilation system and the performance of the ventilation system installed in the examined facility. The analyses were conducted with the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools in the FloVent program. Air distribution was determined by measuring ventilation parameters and conducting smoke tests in analyzed natatorium, and the obtained data were consistent with the results of the numerical analysis. The analyzed scenarios were compared to identify the risks associated with inadequate ventilation in swimming pools. A significant decrease in air supply led to local increases in air velocity and worsened thermal comfort parameters in the real-world facility. In addition, the decrease in air supply induced changes in air distribution and prevented air streams from reaching all parts of the natatorium. Some areas were inadequately ventilated, and condensed water vapor settled on the building’s glass facade and the roof, posing a direct threat to structural elements. The results of the numerical analysis were congruent with on-site measurements, which indicates that CFD tools are highly useful for assessing ventilation systems in swimming pools. These tools can be used to analyze ventilation performance and optimize the proposed solutions already at the design stage. The applied tools enable designers to eliminate construction errors and optimize a building’s structural safety, performance, and energy efficiency.