Swimming pools have become an essential attachment to most habitable c
oastal construction such as hotels, condominiums and single family res
idences. A large swimming pool type structure may obstruct the free fl
ow of floodwater and increase the turbulence. This in turn may increas
e the scour potential and the wave/debris action on the building and f
oundation. A conceptual breakaway concrete swimming pool design is des
cribed herein. It is demonstrated that this pool will withstand everyd
ay factored water/soil loading, but will collapse and break away under
extreme wave action, thereby minimizing the detrimental effects of a
solid pool.