GB/T 22517.2-2024Technical requirements and test methods for sports field - Part 2: Swimming (English PDF)

1 Scope

The document sets technical requirements for swimming pools, diving pools, water polo pools and artistic swimming pools and for acoustics, daylighting and lighting, the poolside deck, the pool floor and the pool wall; it describes the matching test methods, establishes the rules for judging conformity, and gives a classification of venues to support those provisions.

It applies to the construction and inspection of standard swimming venues used for competition and training. Venues for leisure and fitness use may apply it as a reference.

2 Normative references

Seven documents are cited: GB 19079.1 on opening conditions and technical requirements for swimming places, GB 37488 on hygiene indicators and limits for public places, GB 50189 on energy efficiency design of public buildings, CJJ 122 on water supply and drainage engineering for swimming pools, JGJ/T 131 on acoustic design and measurement in sports halls, JGJ 153-2016 on lighting design and testing for sports venues, and JGJ 354 on electrical design for sports buildings.

Clause 3 states that the document has no terms or definitions to define.

4 Classification of venues

By intended use, swimming venues fall into four classes: swimming pools, diving pools, water polo pools and artistic swimming pools.

5.1 Basic requirements

Each class of venue is built according to its actual functional use, and building energy efficiency follows GB 50189. Hygiene inside the venue follows GB 37488.

Space requirements and the requirements on marks and signs for competition and training pools follow the relevant competition rules. Opening a public (national fitness) swimming pool to the public follows GB 19079.1.

5.2 Swimming pool

Table 1 fixes the dimensions of a competition swimming pool under six headings: length, width, water depth, clear headroom, lane width and electronic touchpad. The long course length is 50.000 m and the short course length 25.000 m. The width is 25.000 m for ten lanes or 21.000 m for eight lanes. In a pool with starting platforms the depth is not less than 1.8 m from 1 m off the starting end to 6 m from the wall, and a professional competition pool has a depth of not less than 2 m. Lane width is 2.50 m, and in an eight-lane pool 21 m wide a buffer of at least 0.5 m is left outside the two outermost lanes. Clear headroom is decided from the needs of competition, training, leisure, energy saving and broadcasting; above the water surface it is advised to be not less than 5 m for domestic professional events and 8 m to 10 m for pools hosting the Olympic Games or a world championship. A competition pool carries electronic touchpads, and the clear distance between the finished tile faces of the two walls allows for the thickness of two touchpads so that the distance between the two touchpads is 50.0 m or 25 m. A note to the table states that lane one lies to the right of the starting end and that in a ten-lane pool the rightmost lane is lane zero.

For a pool with electronic timing touchpads, the wall-to-wall length measured over the band from 0.3 m above the water surface to 0.8 m below it, with the touchpads not fitted, has a permitted positive deviation of 0.02 m to 0.03 m. For a pool without touchpads the permitted positive deviation over the same band is 0.00 m to 0.01 m.

The pool is rectangular, the lengths of the two diagonals differ by not more than 10 mm, and the four wall corners are 90° +/- 0.05°. Competition pool dimensions follow Annex A. A warm-up pool 25 m or 50 m long with at least four lanes and a depth advised at not less than 1.8 m is placed next to a professional competition pool.

Ancillary facilities are provided as the competition rules require. Lane ropes run the full lane length and are fixed to hooks on the end walls. Lane marking lines are dark, dark blue or black, and 0.25 m +/- 0.05 m wide; they are 46.00 m long in a 50.00 m pool and 21.00 m long in a 25.00 m pool, ending 2 m from the wall at each end, with a cross line 1 m long and 0.25 m +/- 0.05 m wide at right angles at each end. In a 50.00 m pool each lane marking line also carries a cross line 0.50 m long and 0.25 m +/- 0.05 m wide whose centre lies 15 m from each wall.

Target marking lines lie on the end wall or the touchpad down the centre of each lane, in the same width as the lane marking line, running from the top of the wall to the floor, with a cross line 0.50 m long and 0.25 m +/- 0.05 m wide at 0.30 m below the water surface.

The false start rope spans the pool on fixed posts 15 m from the starting end, at least 1.20 m above the water surface, and can be dropped quickly into the water to cover every lane. The backstroke turn indicator is a flag line spanning the pool on posts 5.00 m from each end wall, 1.8 m above the water surface.

Starting platforms are rigid and free from spring, standing 0.5 m to 0.75 m above the water surface. The surface area is not less than 0.3 square metres, covered with non-slip material whose wet static friction coefficient is above 0.5, and the inclination does not exceed 10°. Horizontal and vertical backstroke handgrips are fitted 0.30 m to 0.60 m above the water surface, the horizontal grip parallel to the water and the vertical grip perpendicular to it, both flush with the pool wall and not projecting beyond it. The platform accepts a backstroke start device whose footrest is 0.08 m high, at least 0.065 m long and 0.02 m thick at its lower edge, inclined at 10°, and adjustable from 0.04 m above the water to 0.04 m below it.

Resting ledges run along both ends and both sides of the pool not more than 1.2 m below the water surface and are 0.10 m to 0.15 m wide. They may project from the wall or be recessed into it; the resting part is non-slip, differs in colour from the main colour of the pool, which is white or pale blue, and the corners are chamfered.

An electronic timing touchpad, where fitted, measures at least 2.40 m wide, 0.90 m high and 0.01 m thick. Its top edge stands 0.30 m above the water surface and it is immersed 0.60 m. Its face is brightly coloured and carries the target marking line, and its mounting does not interfere with the fitting of the lane ropes.

5.3 Diving pool

The diving pool is 25.00 m long; the width is not less than 21.00 m and 25.00 m is advised. Springboards and platforms are arranged along the 25.00 m side, and the water depth is 5.00 m to 6.00 m.

Marking lines in a diving competition pool run parallel to the long side and number not fewer than three. In a diving pool 25 m in length and width the marking line is 21.00 m long and advised at 0.20 m to 0.30 m wide, the spacing between lines is 2.50 m, and the first line lies directly below the vertical projection of the 3.00 m springboard.

Springboard and platform dimensions follow Annex B, with a permitted positive deviation of 0.00 m to 0.05 m on the height above the water surface. Board and platform surfaces are non-slip, and their number and layout follow the competition rules. Platform stairs are advised to be laid with non-slip material whose wet static friction coefficient is not less than 0.5. Where platform width increases, the distance from the vertical line of that platform to the vertical line of an adjacent platform increases by half the added width.

The 3 m springboard and the 3 m, 5 m, 7.5 m and 10 m platforms carry handrails at the rear and on both sides. The two side rails are at least 1.0 m apart, the rails are at least 1.0 m high, they start 1.0 m back from the front edge of the platform and are mounted on its outer side. A note states that the springboard rail height is measured from the board to the top edge of the rail. A diving competition pool carries a surface or underwater wave-making device, and a massage pool and shower heads are placed beside it.

5.4 Water polo pool and artistic swimming pool

In a water polo competition pool the distance between the goal lines is 30.60 m for a men's match or 25.60 m for a women's match, the width is 20.00 m and the depth not less than 2.00 m; the layout follows Annex C.

An artistic swimming competition pool is not smaller than 20.00 m by 30.00 m. Within it an area of 12.00 m by 12.00 m has a depth of not less than 3.00 m and the rest a depth of not less than 2.50 m, with the slope between the 2.50 m and 3.00 m depths not shorter than 8.00 m; the layout follows Annex D.

5.6 Acoustics, daylighting and lighting

The acoustic performance of an indoor swimming venue and its spectator seating follows JGJ/T 131.

Lighting in the competition area does not glare the athletes; natural daylight does not glare them either, and sunlight does not fall directly on the water surface. Indoors, the main light source is side lighting.

Lighting for a venue with television broadcasting follows 4.2.2 of JGJ 153-2016, and lighting for a venue hosting events follows the competition requirements. The electrical installation and the safety of the lighting follow JGJ 354.

5.8 Poolside deck

The deck, including the deck at the starting end, is not less than 5.00 m wide. On the side of the diving pool where the spectator seating adjoins the rostrum a deck width above 8.00 m is advised, and the deck between the swimming pool and the diving pool is not less than 8 m wide, with 10 m advised.

Water does not stand on the deck, and taps for washing the floor are provided beside it. The deck carries an overflow channel fitted with a non-slip overflow grating, and a drainage gutter for washing water runs along the foot of the wall. At an outdoor venue, bare soil and deciduous trees are avoided within 5.00 m of the deck edge, and dust and other sources of pollution are kept away.

The deck flooring material is slip resistant, with a wet static friction coefficient of not less than 0.5. The gap under a 2 m straightedge at any position on the deck is not more than 2 mm. The deck slope is 0.5 % to 0.8 %, falling towards the deck washing and drainage gutter.

5.9 Pool floor, pool wall and other items

The pool floor and the pool wall are light in colour. Where tiles are laid on the wall, the floor or the deck, the tile face is clean and even, the joints are straight, and the units are free from cracks, broken corners and chipped edges.

At the starting and turning ends of the swimming pool, all wall surfaces from 0.30 m above the water surface to 0.80 m below it are even and non-slip. Wall and floor materials have a wet static friction coefficient of not less than 0.5, and over that same band the verticality of the wall at the starting ends is 90° +/- 0.3°.

A compulsory-passage foot disinfection bath is placed between the changing room and the venue. It is not less than 2.00 m long, as wide as the walkway, and has an effective water depth of not less than 0.15 m; its floor material has a wet static friction coefficient of not less than 0.5, and a sensor-operated compulsory shower stands in front of it.

Water supply and drainage for the venue follow CJJ 122. Floors of toilets, shower rooms and changing rooms have a wet static friction coefficient of not less than 0.5.

6 Test methods

Apart from the items set out below, the items of Clause 5 are observation items checked visually.

Lengths are measured with a calibrated or verified length measuring instrument, at least three times, and the mean is taken; the result is given to the millimetre. Angles are measured with a calibrated or verified angle measuring instrument, and the result is given to the second. Pool depth is measured with a calibrated or verified length measuring instrument, the result given to the millimetre.

Slip resistance is measured on site with a static friction coefficient meter. One point is taken at random beside each entry ladder of the pool, within a radius of 1 m, at the starting platforms at both ends of the pool, within a radius of 1 m, around the deck, and in the toilet, the shower room, the foot disinfection bath and the changing room. Each point is cleaned before testing and then wetted with water so that the test surface stays damp; one reading is taken in each of three directions 90° apart and the mean is calculated, the result given to two decimal places.

Flatness is measured with a 2 m spirit straightedge and a vernier feeler gauge at three points chosen at random every 5 m along the deck. The straightedge is laid flat and the largest gap is measured with the feeler gauge; where the gap is measured at one end of the straightedge, half the measured value is taken as the result.

Slope is obtained with a level, a height gauge and a steel tape reading to 1 mm: the elevation of two points and the horizontal distance between them are measured, and the slope is the height difference divided by the horizontal distance.

7 Rules for conformity assessment

A venue is judged conforming when every item taken by visual observation and by on-site measurement meets Clause 5 and the competition facilities and equipment meet the rules of the relevant class and level of competition.

Where an item does not conform, the venue is inspected again after rectification, and it is judged conforming when all items meet Clause 5 and the competition facilities and equipment meet the rules of the relevant class and level of competition.

Annex A Diagram of the swimming pool (normative)

Table A.1 assigns seven symbols to the marking dimensions of the swimming pool: A the width of the lane marking line, its end cross lines and the target marking line, 0.25 m +/- 0.05 m; B the length of the target marking line, 0.50 m; C the depth of the centre of the target marking line below the water, 0.30 m; D the length of the cross lines at the ends of the lane marking line, 1.00 m; E the distance between two adjacent lane marking lines, 2.50 m; F the distance from the end cross lines of the lane marking line to the end wall, 2.00 m; and G the height of the front edge of the starting platform above the water surface, 0.50 m to 0.75 m.

Figure A.1 shows the basic dimensions and facility layout in four views: the pool itself, the pool wall without an electronic timing touchpad, the pool wall with one, and the pool floor. Its key numbers the starting platform, the backstroke turn indicator, the lane rope, the lane marking line, the false start rope, the lane target marking line, the electronic timing touchpad and the lane rope hook. A note states that a competition normally uses eight lanes and that the Olympic Games and world championships normally use ten.

Annex B Diagram of the diving pool (normative)

Figure B.1 shows the diving marking lines, where symbol A is the horizontal distance from the end point of the pool wall to the vertical line of the 3 m springboard. Figure B.2 shows the cross section and the longitudinal section of the diving pool; its key numbers the 1 m springboard, the 1 m platform, the 3 m springboard, the 3 m platform, the 5 m platform, the 7.5 m platform, the 10 m platform and the deck below the platforms.

Table B.1 gives the length, width and height of each board and platform. The 1 m and 3 m springboards are 4.88 m long and 0.50 m wide, at heights of 1.00 m and 3.00 m. The 1 m platform is 5.00 m long, its width given as a minimum of 1.0 m with 2.9 m advised and its height as a minimum of 0.6 m with 1.00 m advised; the 3 m platform is 5.00 m long, its width given as a minimum of 1.0 m with 2.0 m advised and its height as a minimum of 2.60 m with 3.00 m advised. The 5 m, 7.5 m and 10 m platforms are 6.00 m long and 2.90 m, 2.00 m and 3.00 m wide, at heights of 5.00 m, 7.50 m and 10.00 m.

Table B.2 fixes, for each springboard and platform in turn, the horizontal and vertical clearances identified by the code letters A, A/A, B, C, D, E, F, G and N: the distance from the vertical projection of the concrete platform edge to the rear pool wall, the horizontal distance from the vertical projection of the base and metal support edge, the distance backwards from the vertical line of a board or platform to the vertical line of the board or platform below it or to ground level, the distance from the vertical line of a board or platform to the side walls, the distance to the vertical line of an adjacent board or platform, the distance forward to the pool wall, the ceiling height above the end of the board, the clear space to the rear and to both sides above, the clear space forward and above, and the largest angle by which a dimension may be reduced outside the stated range. Each entry carries a minimum value and a preferred value, and further columns give the water depth and the ceiling height. In the extracted text the rows and columns of this table could not be paired with certainty, so its figures are not reported here.

Table B.3 gives the water depth requirements of World Aquatics under the codes H, J, K, L and M: the water depth below the vertical line of a board or platform, the depth at a stated distance in front of that line, and the depth at a stated distance to each side of it, each with a minimum value and a preferred value, in the horizontal and the vertical direction, for the 1 m and 3 m springboards and the 1 m, 3 m, 5 m, 7.5 m and 10 m platforms. In the extracted text the rows and columns of this table could not be paired with certainty, so its figures are not reported here.

Annex C Diagrams of the water polo pool and the artistic swimming pool (normative)

Annex C carries Figure C.1, the diagram of the water polo pool, whose key numbers the referees table, the goal judge and the ball basket.

Annex D carries Figure D.1, the diagram of the artistic swimming pool, dimensioned in metres, whose key numbers the referees table.

The bibliography lists two documents of the Chinese Swimming Association, the 2022 standard for adult swimming competition venues and equipment and the swimming competition rules for 2019 to 2022, together with the World Aquatics competition regulations of 2023 and the World Aquatics swimming pool certificate guide of February 2020.