Cracking in Concrete Topic

Home > Topics in Concrete > topicdetail

RESULTS FOR CRACKING IN CONCRETE

Definition: a complete or incomplete separation of either concrete or masonry into two or more parts produced by breaking or fracturing.- ACI Concrete Terminology


Cracks are categorized as occurring either in plastic concrete or hardened concrete. The causes of each type of cracking depend on many different factors, and may affect appearance only, or they may indicate significant structural distress or a lack of durability. Cracks may represent the total extent of the damage, or they may point to problems of greater magnitude. Causes of cracking include: plastic shrinkage cracking; settlement cracking; drying shrinkage; thermal stresses; chemical reaction; weathering; corrosion of reinforcement; poor construction practices; construction overloads; errors in design and detailing; and externally applied loads.