BUILDING CRACKS- CAUSES & REMEDIES

CausesofCracksinconcretestructures:

SilicafumeMicrosilica
Theprincipalcausesofoccurrenceofcracksina
buildingareasfollows:

microsilica.org/english

bestsilicafumebestmicrosilica

1.Permeabilityofconcrete.

Asdeteriorationprocessinconcretebeginswith
penetrationofvariousaggressiveagents,low
permeabilityisthekeytoitsdurability.
Concretepermeabilityiscontrolledbyfactors
likewatercementratio,degreeof

ExposedAggregateRepair
AluminumHoneycomb
Panels

hydration/curing,airvoidsduetodeficient
compaction,microcracksduetoloadingandcyclicexposuretothermalvariations.Thefirstthree
arealliedtotheconcretestrengthaswell.Thepermeabilityofcementpasteisafunctionofwater
cementratiogivengoodqualitymaterials,satisfactoryproportioningandgoodconstruction
practicethepermeabilityoftheconcreteisadirectfunctionoftheporosityandinterconnectionof
poresofthecementpaste.

2.Thermalmovement:

RepairConcreteCracks
FixingFoundationCracks
CracksinBasementWalls

Thermalmovementisoneofthemostpotentcausesofcrackinginbuildings.Allmaterialsmoreor
lessexpandonheatingandcontractoncooling.Thethermalmovementinacomponentdependson
anumberoffactorssuchastemperaturevariations,dimensions,coefficientofthermalexpansion
andsomeotherphysicalpropertiesofmaterials.Thecoefficientofthermalexpansionofbrickwork
intheverticaldirectionisfiftypercentgreaterthanthatinthehorizontaldirection,becausethereis
norestrainttomovementintheverticaldirection.
Thermalvariationsintheinternalwallsandintermediatefloorsarenotmuchandthusdonotcause
cracking.Itismainlytheexternalwallsespeciallythinwallsexposedtodirectsolarradiationand
theroofwhicharesubjecttosubstantialthermalvariationthatareliabletocracking.

RemedialMeasures:

Thermaljointscanbeavoidedbyintroducingexpansionjoints,controljointsandslipjoints.In
structureshavingrigidframesorshellroofswhereprovisionofmovementjointsisnotstructurally
feasible,thermalstresseshavetobetakenintoaccountinthestructuraldesignitselftoenablethe
structuretowithstandthermalstresseswithoutdevelopinganyundesirablecracks.

3.Creep

Concretewhensubjectedtosustainedloadingexhibitsagradualandslowtimedependant
deformationknownascreep.Creepincreaseswithincreaseinwaterandcementcontent,water
cementratioandtemperature.Itdecreaseswithincreaseinhumidityofsurroundingatmosphere
andageofmaterialatthetimeofloading.Useofadmixturesandpozzolonasinconcreteincreases
creep.Amountofcreepinsteelincreaseswithriseintemperature.

4.CorrosionofReinforcement
Aproperlydesignedandconstructedconcreteisinitiallywatertightandthereinforcementsteel
withinitiswellprotectedbyaphysicalbarrierofconcretecoverwhichhaslowpermeabilityand
highdensity.Concretealsogivessteelwithinitachemicalprotection.Steelwillnotcorrodeaslong

asconcretearounditisimperviousanddoesnotallowmoistureorchloridestopenetratewithinthe
coverarea.Steelcorrosionwillalsonotoccuraslongasconcretesurroundingitisalkalineinnature
havingahighpHvalue.
Concretenormallyprovidesexcellentprotectiontoreinforcingsteel.Notwithstandingthis,thereare
largenumberofcasesinwhichcorrosionofreinforcementhascauseddamagetoconcrete
structureswithinafewyearsfromthetimeofconstruction.Oneofthemostdifficultproblemsin
repairingareinforcedconcreteelementistohandlecorrosiondamage.Reinforcementcorrosion
causedbycarbonationisarrestedtoagreatextentthroughrepairsexecutedinasoundmanner.
However,thetreatmentofchlorideinducedcorrosionismoredifficultandmoreoftentheproblem
continuesevenafterextensiverepairshavebeencarriedout.Itinvariablyreoccursinashort
periodoftime.Repairingreinforcementcorrosioninvolvesanumberofsteps,namely,removalof
carbonatedconcrete,cleaningofreinforcementapplicationofprotectioncoat,makinggoodthe
reducedsteelarea,applyingbondcoatandcoverreplacement.Eachstephastobeexecutedwith
utmostcare.Whenchloridesarepresentinconcrete,itisextremelydifficulttoprotectreinforcing
steelfromchlorideattackparticularlyincaseswherechlorideshaveenteredthroughmaterialsused
inconstructionandresidinginthehardenedconcrete.
Thisincreaseinvolumecauseshighradialburstingstressesaroundreinforcingbarsandresultin
localradialcracks.Thesesplittingcracksresultsintheformationoflongitudinalcracksparallelto
thebar.Corrosioncauseslossofmass,stiffnessandbondandthereforeconcreterepairbecomes
inevitableasconsiderablelossofstrengthtakesplace

Corrosionofsteelinacanopy
RemedialMeasures:
Reinforcementsteelinconcretestructuresplaysaveryimportantroleasconcretealoneisnot
capableofresistingtensileforcestowhichitisoftensubjected.Itisthereforeimportantthatagood
physicalandchemicalbondmustexistbetweenreinforcementsteelandconcretesurroundingit.

Duetoinadequacyofstructuraldesignand/orconstruction,moistureandchemicalslikechlorides
penetrateconcreteandattacksteel.Steeloxidizesandrustisformed.Thisresultsinlossofbond
betweensteelandconcretewhichultimatelyweakensthestructure.
Thebestcontrolmeasureagainstcorrosionistheuseofconcretewithlowpermeability.Increased
concretecoveroverthereinforcingbariseffectiveindelayingthecorrosionprocessandalsoin
resistingthesplitting.

5.MoistureMovement:
Mostofthebuildingmaterialswithporesintheirstructureintheformofintermolecularspace
expandonabsorbingmoistureandshrinkondrying.Thesemovementsarecyclicinnatureandare
causedbyincreaseordecreaseininterporepressurewithmoisturechanges.
Initialshrinkageoccursinallbuildingmaterialsthatarecement/limebasedsuchasconcrete,
mortar,masonryandplasters.Generallyheavyaggregateconcreteshowslessshrinkagethanlight
weightaggregateconcrete.
Controllingshrinkagecracks.
Shrinkagecracksinmasonrycouldbeminimizedbyavoidinguseofrichcementmortarinmasonry
andbydelayingplasterworktillmasonryhasdriedafterpropercuringandundergonemostofits
initialshrinkage.Incaseofstructuralconcreteshrinkagecracksarecontrolledbyusingtemperature
reinforcement.Plasterwithcoarsewellgradedsandorstonechipwillsufferlessfromshrinkage
cracksandispreferredforplasteringforexternalfaceofwalls.
Consideringthebuildingasawhole,aneffectivemethodofcontrollingshrinkagecracksisthe
provisionofmovementjoints.Theworkdoneincoldweatherwillbelessliabletoshrinkagecracks
thanthatinhotweathersincemovementduetothermalexpansionofmaterialswillbeoppositeto
thatofdryingshrinkage.

6.PoorConstructionpractices.

Theconstructionindustryhasingeneralfallenpreytonontechnicalpersonsmostofwhomhave
littleornoknowledgeofcorrectconstructionpractices.Thereisagenerallackofgoodconstruction
practiceseitherduetoignorance,carelessness,greedornegligence.Orworsestill,acombinationof
allofthese.

Thebuildingorstructureduringconstructionisinitsformativeperiodlikeachildinmotherswomb.
Itisveryimportantthatthechildsmotheriswellnourishedandmaintainsgoodhealthduringthe
pregnancy,sothatherchildishealthilyformed.Similarlyforahealthybuildingitisabsolutely
necessaryfortheconstructionagencyandtheownertoensuregoodqualitymaterialsselectionand
goodconstructionpractices.Allthewaytobuildingcompletioneverystepmustbeproperly
supervisedandcontrolledwithoutcuttingcorners.
Someofthemaincausesforpoorconstructionpracticesandinadequatequalityofbuildingsare
givenbelow:
Improperselectionofmaterials.
Selectionofpoorqualitycheapmaterials.
Inadequateandimproperproportioningofmixconstituentsofconcrete,mortaretc.
Inadequatecontrolonvariousstepsofconcreteproductionsuchasbatching,mixing,
transporting,placing,finishingandcuring
Inadequatequalitycontrolandsupervisioncausinglargevoids(honeycombs)andcracks
resultinginleakagesandultimatelycausingfasterdeteriorationofconcrete.
Improperconstructionjointsbetweensubsequentconcretepoursorbetweenconcrete
frameworkandmasonry.
Additionofexcesswaterinconcreteandmortarmixes.
Poorqualityofplumbingandsanitationmaterialsandpractices.

7.Poorstructuraldesignandspecifications
Veryoften,thebuildinglosesitsdurabilityontheblueprintitselforatthetimeofpreparationof
specificationsforconcretematerials,concreteandvariousotherrelatedparameters.
Itisofcrucialthatthedesignerandspecifiermustfirstconsidertheenvironmentalconditions
existingaroundthebuildingsite.Itisalsoequallyimportanttodogeotechnical(soil)investigations
todeterminethetypeoffoundations,thetypeofconcretematerialstobeusedinconcreteandthe
gradeofconcretedependingonchemicalspresentingroundwaterandsub
soil.
Itiscriticalforthestructuraldesignerandarchitecttoknowwhethertheagencyproposedtocarry
outtheconstructionhastherequisiteskillsandexperiencetoexecutetheirdesigns.Often
complicateddesignswithdensereinforcementsteelinslendersectionsresultinpoorquality
construction.Inaddition,inadequateskillsandpoorexperienceofthecontractor,ultimatelycauses
deteriorationofthebuilding.
Closelyspacedofreinforcementsteelbarsduetoinadequatedetailingandslenderconcreteshapes
causessegregation.Ifconcreteisplacedcarelesslyintotheformworkmould,concretehitsthe
reinforcementsteelandsegregatescausingfinematerialstosticktothesteel,obstructingits

placementandislostfromtheconcretemixwhilethecoarsematerialfallsbelowcausinglarge
porosity(honeycombs).
Slenderstructuralmemberslikecanopies(chajjas),finsandparapetsoftenbecomethefirsttarget
ofaggressiveenvironmentbecauseofdensereinforcement,poordetailing,lesscoverofconcreteto
thereinforcementsteel.Addedtoallthis,lowgradeofconcreteandpoorconstructionpracticescan
makethethingsworse.Itisnecessaryforthestructuralconsultanttoprovideadequate
reinforcementsteeltopreventstructuralmembersfromdevelopinglargecrackswhenloaded.
Tosumup,thefollowingprecautionsarerequiredtobetakenbytheArchitects,
StructuralConsultantsandSpecifiers:
Properspecificationforconcretematerialsandconcrete.
Properspecificationstotakecareofenvironmentalaswellassubsoilconditions.
Constructableandadequatestructuraldesign.
Properqualityandthicknessofconcretecoveraroundthereinforcementsteel.
Planningproperreinforcementlayoutanddetailingthesameinslenderstructurestofacilitate
properplacingofconcretewithoutsegregation.
Selectionofproperagencytoconstructtheirdesigns.
ArchitectsandEngineersareparentsofthebuildingstheyplananddesignandthereforetheir
contributiontothehealthandlifeofthebuildingisquitesignificant.Oncetheplansaredrawnthe
structuraldesignsandspecificationsareprepared,itisthentheturnoftheagencytoconstructthe
buildingandbringtheblueprinttoreality.Specialcaremustbetakeninthedesignanddetailingof
structuresandthestructureshouldbeinspectedcontinuouslyduringallphasesofconstructionto
supplementthecarefuldesignanddetailing.

8.PoorMaintenance
Astructureneedstobemaintainedafteralapseofcertainperiodfromitsconstructioncompletion.
Somestructuresmayneedaveryearlylookintotheirdeteriorationproblems,whileotherscan
sustainthemselvesverywellformanyyearsdependingonthequalityofdesignandconstruction.
.

Leakagefromroofslab

Spalledconcreteduetocorrosionofsteel
Regularexternalpaintingofthebuildingtosomeextenthelpsinprotectingthebuildingagainst
moistureandotherchemicalattacks.Waterproofingandprotectivecoatingonreinforcementsteel
orconcreteareallsecondlineofdefenceandthesuccessoftheirprotectionwillgreatlydependon
thequalityofconcrete.
Leakagesshouldbeattendedtoattheearliestpossiblebeforecorrosionofsteelinsideconcrete
startsandspallingofconcretetakesplace.Spalledconcretewillloseitsstrengthandstiffness,
besidesitwillincreasetherateofcorrosionasrustedsteelbarsarenowfullyexposedto
aggressiveenvironment.Itisnotonlyessentialtorepairthedeterioratedconcretebutitisequally
importanttopreventthemoistureandaggressivechemicalstoenterconcreteandpreventfurther
deterioration.

9.MovementduetoChemicalreactions.

Theconcretemaycrackasaresultofexpansivereactionsbetweenaggregatecontainingactive
silicaandalkalinesderivedfromcementhydrations.Thealkalisilicareactionresultsinthe
formationofswellinggel,whichtendstodrawwaterformotherportionsofconcrete.Thiscauses
localexpansionresultsincracksinthestructure.
TocontrolCracksduetoalkalisilicareactions,lowalkalicement,pozzolonaandproperaggregates
shouldbeused.

10.Indiscriminateadditionandalterations.
Therehavebeensomebuildingcollapsesinourcountryduetoindiscriminateadditionsand
alterationsdonebyinteriordecoratorsattheinstanceoftheirclients.
Generally,thefirsttargetofmodificationsisthebalcony.Duetotherequirementtooccupymore
floorarea,balconiesaregenerallyenclosedandmodifiedfordifferentusages.
BalconiesandcanopiesaregenerallycantileverRCCslabs.Duetoadditionalloadingtheydeflect
anddevelopcracks.Asthesteelreinforcementintheseslabshavelessconcretecoverandthe
balconyandcanopyslabisexposedtomoreaggressiveexternalenvironment,corrosionofsteel
reinforcementtakesplaceandrepairsbecomenecessary.
Thelofttanksaregenerallyinstalledintoiletsorkitchens,whicharehumidareasofthebuildings.
Thestructureinadditiontobeingoverloadedisalsomorepronetocorrosionofreinforcementsteel
intheseareasandthereforedeterioratesandifnotrepaired,partofthebuildingcanevencollapse.

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RameshSomkuwarDy.ManageratJ.K.cementLtd.
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AsratMulatuHawassaUniversity
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thankyou....itshelpmeonmyresearchpaperthatrelatedtomycourse......
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ManiveerDhulipudiDVR&Dr.HSMICCollegeofTechnology
forme,it'sveryusefultips.thankusomuch.
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whatalesson...
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usefulinformation
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nice
ReplyLikeOctober27,2014at6:18am
DilipShahWorksatBusiness
Thisisanexampleofirreparableconcretepillar,wheretheverticalcrackswere
diagnosedwithtotallossofdurability.Therearetwostandardwaystofixthe
problem:toarrangeprestressedmetalbandagesortoreplaceitwithnewone.
AnotherwayisusingtheKALMATRONKFBapplicationtofillupcrackswith
identicaltoconcretematter.Itmeanstofusecrumbledcementitiousmaterial
insideofthecracksintosolidcontinuousmaterial.
Thisprocesstakesupto60days.Asshownonthepicture,thecrackstartedfillingupbelowtheKFB
application.Thiseffecthasbeenobservedwitheveryapplication.Themeasuredeffecton
compressivestrengthisupto45%overinitialone.
pleasevisitlink:
FreewayConcreteRestorationafterfloodinEurope.:http://www.shieldcrete.com/
UniqueApplications4.html
Callusformor...SeeMore
ReplyLikeSeptember27,2014at10:55pm
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