Drakeley Pool Company principal Bill Drakeley was quoted in an extensive article examining the use of fiber reinforcement in shotcrete applications
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"According to some who use them, the relative complexity of fiber use presents challenges for the industry that may be beyond current levels of expertise.
"Our industry already has an issue with a lack of control when it comes to the shotcrete process," says William Drakeley, managing member of the Drakeley Pool Company (Bethlehem, Conn.). "Fibers can provide benefits, no question, but they are also a very tricky thing. There are a number of control issues that add variables to a process that is already full of variables. I see it as a challenge for the industry."
Although Drakeley's company doesn't use fibers in pool shells, per se, he does have extensive experience working with fibers in applications outside the industry, such as highway and railway tunnels. "We use fibers all the time on those types of projects, but the process is always very controlled. For example, we've been required to create extensive test panels that can cost as much as $100,000 because quality control is so hugely important. It's crucial to make sure you're using the right fiber for the application, in the correct quantities using the proper mixing and application techniques. And you have to understand what those fibers do and what they don't.""
WANT TO READ MORE? Check out the full article on Aqua Magazine here.