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Cavities take bite out of UT pool
Problems under ground delay completion of UT aquatic center
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Completion of the $24 million Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center on the University of Tennessee campus and its official opening have been put on hold because of honeycomb-like cavities beneath the pool.
The problem - similar to what Thompson-Boling Arena experienced during its construction in the mid-1980s - is under control, said Gary Wyant, UT's executive associate athletic director.
"Almost all the UT campus sits atop a series of underground cavities," Wyant said. "We found the problem at new pool when we filled it with water for testing. We experienced some leaks and found that a section beneath the diving well had sunk, as well as one spot in the competition pool."
Wyant said 350 cubic feet of grout filled the empty space, plus steel supports were inserted to keep the areas stable.
He said the foundation problem will accelerate the building's cost but with completion so near UT has no thought about aborting it.
Wyant said the aquatic center, which was scheduled to be completed Dec. 24 and be ready for Vols and Lady Vols swimming meets Jan. 5, likely will be completed by Feb. 13.
The state high school meet, which originated at UT Student Aquatic Center in the 1970s, was to have been swum in the UT's new facility. However, it will be swum at the Nashville SportsPlex on Feb. 8-9, the site in recent years.
"The offices and dressing rooms should be finished by Feb. 4, but it will take another week or so to tile the pool and diving well," Wyant said.
That means that UT likely will not host any meets in the new pool this season.
Dedication of the pool, which was planned for Jan. 12, will be reset, Wyant said.
The Tennessee Swimming Hall of Fame, which was to have held its inductions on Jan. 12, will be reset to coincide with the pool dedication.
Delayed Departure?: Wyant's last day on the job is to be Jan. 31. Yet he isn't likely to stay retired long. He said he had been asked to remain on a part-time basis until a number of projects - including the aquatic center - are completed.
© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Posted by FWBVol on November 23, 2007 at 1:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I just have to wonder with the knowledge all the engineers and builders have about the honeycomb cavities on campus why they don't check these things before starting a building. Call it simple logic, but it seems it would be less costly to do some sort of simple drilling to find out if the cavities are there to correct the problem before having a facility almost ready to open and having to fix it.
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