Introduction
Pavements pass loads through compression to the supporting soil As long as the soils deformations are low, there is negligible bending in the slab
Pavement
Apply load to top of slab
Since the slab is stiffer than the soil the load is distributed over a larger area of soil
A thicker slab is stiffer and distributes the load over a larger area of soil
Types of Cracks
Structural
Structural cracks are the result of subgrade settlement and/or stiffness discontinuity Often occur when a floor is over loaded Shrinkage cracks occur soon after a floor slab DRIES and will not increase in length, width or number after the drying process is completed.
Shrinkage
Virtually all structural cracks are the result of subgrade failure The failure may result from one or more of the following conditions
It is necessary to determine the stiffness of the subgrade and the magnitude of the expected loads so that the proper slab thickness can be determined
The subgrade is improperly designed or prepared The slab thickness is too thin for applied loads and the stiffness of the subgrade The concrete does not have sufficient strength
Structural Cracks
Slabs on grade are, to a limited extent, beams on elastic foundations. The softer the supporting soil and/or the larger the load, the stronger and stiffer the slab must be to spread the load over more of the supporting soil
Slab stiffness is a function of slab thickness Slab cracking strength is a function of concrete strength and slab thickness
PCI Method
A series of charts for various loading conditions (wheels, racks, posts, etc) Example of slab thickness determination for a wheeled vehicle:
Contact area = (25,000 lb / 2 wheels) / 110 psi = 114 in2 Subgrade Modulus, k = 100 pci Concrete 28-day strength, fc = 7,000 psi
Choice depends of number of stress repetitions permitted WS = MR/FS = 640 psi / 2 = 320 psi
Use 8 Slab
Wheel Spacing
Subgrade Modulus
Need to match criteria for the chart Read the instructions for each chart!
Shrinkage cracking occurs due to the normal volumetric changes associated with drying Normal concrete can only stretch about 0.002 inches per foot without rupturing Normal shrinkage is about 0.006 (+25%) inches per foot If the slab is restrained against movement then cracking is inevitable
Reducing the shrinkage characteristics of the concrete mix Reducing restraint on the slab Encouraging cracks to appear at predetermined locations The use of reinforcing steel
The challenge is to limit the amount of water in the mix while maintaining workability and finishability without excessive use of water reducers
Use coarser ground cement Use the largest sized aggregate permitted by design Use shrinkage compensating concrete
Proper curing keeps water in the concrete until it has achieved sufficient tensile strength before shrinkage occurs Proper curing allows drying to occur more evenly through the slab thickness
Curling
Differential shrinkage due to drying can result in curling of the slab edges, resulting in an induced moment in the slab. When the moment equals the cracking moment a crack forms, redistributing the stress
Sources of Restraint
As the slab shrinks, the friction resists the motion, causing tension in the slab
Bearing on other features (walls, foundation, drain pipes, columns, etc) Attachment to other features
Friction Restraint
Tensile Capacity
Shrinkage Cracks
Tensile Capacity
Restraint by Features
Locating Cracks
Control and construction joints are places of intentional weakness. They are placed close enough together to keep tensile stresses in the slab below the tensile rupture strength of the concrete
Control Joints
The purpose of these joints is to predetermine the location of cracks for esthetic and performance purposes. ACI 302.1R, pg 6 Unless the design provides for the specific supplemental reinforcing across the joint, the resulting induced crack may offer no structural advantage over a randomly occuring shrinkage crack. ACI 302.1R, pg 6
Construction Joints
These joints are placed in a slab where the concreting operations are concluded for the day, generally in conformity with a predetermined joint layout. If at any time concreting is interrupted long enough for the placed concrete to harden, a construction joint should be used. ACI
302.1R pg 6
Construction Joints
Joint Spacing
Unreinforced Slabs
2 to 3 ft for each inch of slab thickness. Smaller aggregate size, higher water contents, and local experience may dictate use of closer joints
Reinforced Slabs
Use a subgrade drag equation to compute joint spacing (See ACI 360R 6.3)
Drag Equation
L Friction mW As f s Strengthallowable 2 2 As f s L mW
Where:
L = distance between joints, ft As = Area of steel per foot width of slab, in2/ftw fs = Allowable steel stress (20,000 psi or 24,000 psi) W = Dead weight of slab, psf m = Friction factor (1 to 2.5)
Only reinforcement across the joint is to be used for vertical load transfer only. Use plain bars and coat to prevent bond to concrete Joint should extend at least slab thickness through the slab Vertical load transfer across construction joints can be accomplished with plain bars or properly designed keyed joints.
Reinforcement serves to restrain the shrinkage, effectively subdividing the slab and hence distributing the crack area more evenly. This produces smaller and more numerous cracks than would occur in an unreinforced slab of the same dimensions. The actual crack area remains essentially the same.
Fricks, T.J. Cracking in Floor Slabs, reprinted in ACI SCM-25 (92), pg 122.
Reinforcing Steel
Smaller bar sizes are better choices than large diameters This steel should be positioned one-fourth the slab thickness below the top surface up to 2.0 in maximum. ACI 302.1R, pg 5 Minimum cover of the steel is controlled by ACI 318 7.7.
Top cover inch clear cover for slabs protected from the weather, 1.1/2 for #5 or smaller bars and 2 for larger bars exposed to weather 3 clear between bars and the ground.
Is Reinforcement Needed?
Determine the reinforcing steel requirement for an outdoor, 5 thick concrete slab with control joints spaced 25 ft apart. The slab is cast on a compacted gravelly soil surface. Use 40 ksi rebar Variables
fs = 20,000 psi m = 2.0 (assume that gravel surface has some interlock with the slab) L = 25 ft W = 5 (150 pcf / 12) = 62.5 psf
Calculation Continued
Spacing Calcs:
Reqd As = 0.0781 in2/ftw #3 bar: s < (.11 in2/bar)(12/ft)/(.0781 in2/ft) = 16.9 in #4 bar: s < 30.7 in 6x6 W4.0xW4.0 wire mesh gives As = 0.080 in2/ftw. ACI 318 7.6 limits spacing to min(3h, 18)
Decision: Use #3 bars 15 O.C. each way. Place with a clear cover of 1 below top of slab.