Aquapark Construction

An aquapark is the most heavily loaded relative in the pool family: slide towers impose heavy point loads on the ground, while pool structures and balance tanks spread over a wide area. That is why our first step is the land itself; ground bearing capacity, falls and levels, groundwater and the existing infrastructure are studied on site.

The operating side of the investment is settled at the same stage: will the park serve hotel guests, or sell day tickets? The target visitor profile, the length of the season and the water and electrical capacity are questions to be answered before the attraction list.

• Soil study and bearing capacity
• Site falls and level analysis
• Water source and mains capacity
• Electrical infrastructure and power requirement
• Target visitor profile and season length
• Operating model (hotel guests / day visitors)
• Zoning and permit framework
• Preliminary feasibility and budget range

A good aquapark is planned like a small city: children's, family and adrenaline zones are separated by age group; wet and dry circulation routes are composed so that they never cross, and lifeguard sightline positions are placed to leave no blind spot.

Capacity is calculated from the water surface, the hourly user throughput of each attraction and the balance of relaxation space. Loungers, shaded areas, food and beverage and the wet areas are all part of that calculation, because a guest spends the whole day not in the water but across the park as a whole.

• Zoning by age group
• Instantaneous and daily capacity targets
• Hourly throughput calculation per attraction
• Queue, stair and tower circulation
• Lifeguard sightline positions and lines of view
• Loungers, shade and relaxation areas
• Food and beverage and wet-area layout
• Expansion reserve for later phases

The slide family is wider than people assume: open and enclosed body slides, family slides ridden on rafts, steep speed slides, funnel and bowl types, side-by-side racer lanes. To these are added the wave pool, the current channel (lazy river) and children's play structures with water castles.

The selection comes from the capacity plan, not from a catalogue: a balanced mix offering each age group its own level of excitement; colours and forms in keeping with the theme; the type of landing pools and the safety clearances are decided together. On glass-fibre reinforced (GRP) modules, surface quality and UV resistance are not open to negotiation.

• Body and tube slide selection
• Family (raft) slide and racer lanes
• Steep speed slide decision
• Wave pool and wave scenarios
• Current channel (lazy river) route
• Children's play structure and zero-depth entry
• Landing pool types and safety clearances
• GRP module quality and fit with the theme

In an aquapark the water never stops: each slide is fed by its own fixed flow rate, and the wave pool and the current channel call for their own pump sets. Balance tanks, pipe diameters and pump redundancy are sized to the sum of those flows.

Heavy use means a short turnover time in filtration: a constant load of fresh contamination enters the system, and the water has to stay hygienic even on the busiest day. Automatic dosing and measurement points manage that load with data, while variable-speed pumps and heat recovery reduce the operating bill from the outset.

• Attraction feed flow rates
• Pump sets and redundancy
• Sizing of the balance tanks
• Turnover time and filter capacity
• Automatic dosing and measurement points
• Pipe diameters and hydraulic balance
• Variable-speed pumps and energy plan
• Plant room layout and access

Pool structures, the wave chamber, the current channel and the landing pools are built in watertight concrete with two-way reinforcement. Tower foundations are cast to the structural design; pipe galleries and infrastructure ducts are planned so that they can be reached without excavation when maintenance is needed years later.

Every water structure is put through a leak test before the finish goes on. At aquapark scale even a small leak means a serious loss of water and energy over a season; no structure moves to the next stage without a test record.

• Earthworks and ground improvement
• Tower and platform foundations
• Pool structures and two-way reinforcement
• Wave chamber and channel construction
• Waterproofing and leak testing
• Pipe galleries and infrastructure ducts
• Drainage and rainwater lines
• Surface preparation before the finish

Towers and platforms are built in steel protected against corrosion; handrail heights and step dimensions are fabricated to the safety design. GRP slide modules are installed to the tower and to one another with gasketed joints, aligned to the millimetre.

In a slide, comfort and safety are hidden in the joints: a step in level, a burr or a protruding gasket is a direct risk of injury for a user travelling at speed. Every flume is therefore scanned by hand, and gradients and curves are trialled with water running.

• Tower and platform installation
• Handrail and step safety
• GRP module joints and gaskets
• Surface smoothness check (scanned by hand)
• Gradient and curve tolerances
• Anchorage and vibration checks
• Corrosion protection
• Trial runs with water flowing

Safety is not a piece of equipment but a layer worked into every step of the design: the project is engineered to international safety standards, and non-slip surfaces, depth markings, softened edges and the exit directions from landing pools are the visible parts of that layer.

The operating side is set up from the outset too: height and age restriction signs, lifeguard stations, the first aid point and the emergency plan are all in place before opening. Safety goes on living after handover through periodic inspection checklists.

• Engineering to international safety standards
• Non-slip floor applications
• Depth and warning signage
• Height and age restriction signs
• Landing pool safety clearances
• Lifeguard stations and lines of view
• First aid point and emergency plan
• Periodic safety checklist

Before opening, the park is rehearsed from end to end: water readings and flow rates are measured, wave scenarios are run and every slide is tested with trial rides. Problems are found and closed out before the guests arrive.

Handover is completed with training for the operating team: the water chemistry routine, daily checklists and the season opening and closing procedure are passed to your team. After that we stay with the park through a maintenance agreement, a spare-parts plan and pre-season overhauls.

• Water chemistry and flow rate tests
• Attraction trial rides
• Wave and scenario rehearsals
• Staff operating training
• Handover of the daily checklists
• Season opening and closing procedure
• Maintenance agreement and spare-parts plan
• Handover file and warranty documents