Why Do Cracks Develop in Concrete - Quora

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Concrete and Cement (building material) Construction Civil Engineering Related Questions
Why do cracks develop in concrete? How thick does concrete need to be to not
crack?
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What are the methods to repair the concrete
42 Answers See new answers cracks and their disadvantages?
Avirat Dhodare Does the heat of hydration cause cracks in

Answered April 22 concrete?
Originally Answered: Why does concrete crack? Why do cracks appear in concrete the day after
Why Concrete Cracks? it has been cast? What are the possible…
Generally, it is assumed that cracks are due to some problems in the foundation, When should I be concerned about cracks in
whereas it is not always correct and should not be considered failure of structure or concrete?
improper design or bad quality work. Generally, 1/16 to 1/4-inch-wide cracks is
acceptable limits. How do I avoid cracks on concrete?
Ask question
The American Concrete Institute as per ACI 302.1-04 addresses this issue, even the
best construction & concreting cannot prevent cracking in concrete, and 0% cracks is
an unrealistic thing.
Types of Cracks in Fresh and Hardened Concrete -Causes and

Control
🕑 Reading time: 1 minuteThere are various causes of cracks in concrete…
https://theconstructor.org/concrete/causes-and-control-of-cracking/87…
Causes of cracks in concrete can be many summarized as:
Concrete expands and shrinks due to temperature differences
Settlement of structure
Due to heavy load applied or
Due to loss of water from concrete surface shrinkage occurs
Insufficient vibration at the time of laying the concrete
Improper cover provided during concreting
High water cement ratio to make the concrete workable
Due to corrosion of reinforcement steel
Many mixtures with rapid setting and strength gain performance have an
increased shrinkage potential.
Types of Cracks in Concrete
The following figure shows types of cracks in concrete:
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How to Prevent Cracks in Concrete Structures?
Preventive measures to avoid creation of cracks:
Preventive measures must be taken at the time of concreting and later to reduce
cracks after concrete formation. Main factors are:
Reduce Water Content in Concrete:
A low water cement ratio will affect the quality of concrete. W/C ratio is weight of
water to the weight of cement used. A lower w/c ratio leads to high strength in
concrete and lesser cracks.
W/C ratio shall not exceed 0.5 in concreting, which reduces the workability of concrete
which can be covered by use of plasticizer or superplasticizer. Less water content
increases the durability of concrete
Concrete expands and shrinks with changes in moisture and temperature. The overall
tendency is to shrink. Shrinkage is the main cause of cracks, when concrete hardens it
evaporates the excess water and thus shrinks, so lesser the water content, lesser is the
shrinkage.
Cracking shrinkage in slabs is ½ inch per 100 ft. The shrinkage of concrete pulls the
slab apart showing it as cracks on surface.
Proper Concrete Mix Design and use of Quality Materials
The concrete itself must be properly proportioned, and properly mixed. If you use too
little cement, you can almost guarantee cracks. Using too much water will make the
concrete weak, leading to cracking.
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Use good quality aggregates so will produce lower shrinkage concrete. Hard, dense
aggregate, using a large top size aggregate and optimizing the gradation of the
aggregate is able to reduce the shrinkage of the concrete.
If the aggregate is of poor quality, maximizing the size, gradation, and content may
have little effect on the concrete shrinkage. Mixing large aggregate with poor qualities
to a mid-size aggregate with good properties may increase the shrinkage of the
concrete.
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Avoid the use of shrinkage-promoting
1 admixtures (such as accelerators,
5 dirty Connect with others on
aggregate which increases water demand and using a cement with high shrinkage Quora by beginning a new
characteristics. conversation.
Finishing of Concrete Surface

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Use proper finishing techniques and proper timing during and between finishing
operations. Flat floating and flat troweling are often recommended.
Avoid overworking the concrete, especially with vibrating screeds. Overworking causes
aggregate to settle and bleed water and excess fines to rise.
Don’t finish the concrete when there is bleed water on the surface, finishing leads the
water back to concrete instead of evaporating thus leading to cracks.
Proper Curing of Concrete
Stop rapid loss of water from surface or drying of concrete due to hydration (liquid
concrete converts to plastic and then to solid state) causes drying of the slab, so it’s
recommended to cure the slab for several days.
As soon as the concrete on slab sets its general practice to make boundary with
mortar on the slab and keep it filled with water. Cover slab with cotton mats soaked
with water or spray on a curing compound also prevents loss of water.
The concrete should not be subjected to load during the curing period, which can last
up to one month.
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Proper Placement and Vibration of Concrete
Properly placed, vibrated, finished concrete reduces the chances of producing cracks.
Properly vibrate to release entrapped air which later leads to cracks.
Proper Compaction of Soil to Prevent Settlement Cracks in Concrete
The area below the concrete slab has to be compacted properly and in layers so as to
ensure against settlement of soil later. If the soil is left loose it will settle over time and
create cracks on surface. This applies in the home as well as constructions on
highways.
Providing Control Joints in Concrete
Control joints should be located at regular intervals so as to adjust the shrinkage of

concrete. Generally, for 4-inch depth of slab joints are provided 8 to 12 ft. apart.
Control joints are pre-planted cracks. An engineer should have an idea that concrete
will crack at control joints instead of cracking any other location.
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Some Other Preventive Control Measures for Cracks in Concrete:
Applying good acrylic silicone sealer yearly to concrete works
Avoid calcium chloride admixtures
Prevent extreme changes in temperature.
Consider using a shrinkage-reducing admixture
Warm the subgrade before placing concrete on it during cold weather
Consider using synthetic fibers to help control plastic shrinkage cracks.
Repairing Methods of Cracks in Concrete
Various types of Concrete Crack Repair Methodologies:
Stitching
Muting and sealing
Resin injection
Dry packing
Polymer impregnation
Vacuum impregnation
Autogenously healing
Flexible sealing
Drilling and plugging
Bandaging
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To summarize, always prevention is better than cure. Prevention of concrete cracks

give good quality, saves time, money and peace of mind to the owner.
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Aniket Anerao, Diploma Civil Engineering, K.K.Wagh Polytechnic, Nasik

18 1 3
(2016)
Answered July 2, 2017
I'm not an expert but I can provide a brief idea so I apologize in advance if i blunder
up ahead.
Concrete is basically a homogeneous mixture of Cement, sand (artificial or otherwise

or both) , aggeregate along with water in fixed proportions. The basic ingredient of
concrete, cement, acts as a binding material for the other two and thus forms a hard
mass. On addition of water of water to cement, it forms a paste. This paste holds
together sand and aggeregates.
1. Now,when cement and water are mixed, they react; the process is called
hydration of cement; this reaction is exothermic in nature. For a significant
amount of time(28 days after setting), this reaction is very rapid and accounts
for the gain of strength of concrete. After 28 days however, the reaction
slows down gradually upto an negligible point. But as the process takes years
to complete, it keeps emitting heat and sometimes this leads to the
formation of cracks in concrete.
2. Also, concrete, like every other substance, expands on heating and contracts
on cooling. During the day it is subjected to continuous heating and in the
night the temperature falls well below to provide a cooling effect, depending
on the regional weather. This alternate cooling and heating is also partly a
cause of crack formations.
3. Mass concrete works such as dams, are progressed in steps. Sometimes at

the end of days work if a certain portion is not completed, then it is later
continued the following day. In such cases, construction joints are provided.
Since the homogeneity of the component is lost, chances are that cracks will
be produced along the line.
4. Some minute cracks in concrete developed during setting of concrete are

sometimes filled with moisture. Due to the freeze and thaw action, as this
water expands in the crack, it exerts pressure on the surrounding surface,
therefore increasing the crack size.
5. Cracks may also be developed due to applied loads on the structure. This
may happen in case when the applied load is near about or well above the
permissible values.
That's the few important ones I know. I may have missed something and if so please
do point out so I can provide an edit with full info. It's not very detailed but it will
surely give you a brief idea. Hope it helps!
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Justin Donaton, studied Business & Sales

2
Answered January 10, 2018
Originally Answered: Why do we observe cracks in concrete?

Types of Cracks
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The severity of a crack can
1 be characterized in terms of its direction,
5 width, and depth; Connect with others on
cracks may be longitudinal, transverse, vertical, diagonal or random. Different risks for Quora by beginning a new
cracking exist for cured versus uncured concrete, and for reinforced concrete. conversation.
Breakages occur through thermal, chemical or mechanical processes causing
shrinkage, expansion or flexural stress. Below is a list of types of concrete cracks, and
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some of their possible causes:
1. Plastic-shrinkage cracking: Cracks that run to the mid-depth of the concrete,

are distributed across the surface unevenly, and are usually short in
length.Most often occurs while concrete is curing, due to the surface of the
concrete drying too rapidly relative to the concrete below.
2. Crazing/Map cracking/Checking: A web of fine, shallow cracks across the

surface of the concrete.Also occur during curing due to the surface of
concrete drying faster than the interior concrete, but the surface drying
occurs at a lesser depth.Because this type of cracking is limited to the
surface, it does not usually pose serious structural problems.
3. Hairline cracking: Very thin but deep cracks.Due to settlement of the concrete
while it is curing.Due to their depth, these cracks can allow for more serious
cracking once the concrete is hardened.
4. Pop-Outs: Conical depressions in the concrete surfaceOccurs when a piece of

aggregate near the concrete surface is particularly absorbent, causing it to
expand and pop out of the surface of the concrete.
5. Scaling: Small pock marks in the concrete surface, exposing aggregate

underneath.Once cured, if concrete does have an adequate finish to prevent
water penetration, water that seeps into the concrete will expand when it
freezes, pushing off pieces of the concrete surface.Scaling can also be caused
by delamination, which occurs when too much water (due to insufficient
curing) or air (due to insufficient vibrating) remains in the concrete when it is
finished. The water and air rise to the top and form pockets below the
surface. These pockets may form blisters or which may break open to create
scaling.
6. Spalling: Surface depressions that are larger and deeper than scaling, often
linear when following the length of a rebar.Also caused by pressure from
under the surface of the concrete.Most often occur due to improperly
constructed joints or the corrosion of rebar in the concreteCorrosion creates
pressure as rust forms, which can push away large chunks of concrete, and
expose the corroded metal below.Spalling that exposes corroded metal can
be particularly problematic because the corrosion is likely to accelerate due
to exposure to air and water.
7. D-Cracking: Cracks that runs roughly parallel or stem from a concrete joint
and are deeper than surface cracks.Due to moisture infiltration at the joint.
8. Offset cracking: Cracks where the concrete on one side of the crack is lower
than the concrete on the other side.Due to uneven surfaces below the
concrete, such as subgrade settlement or pressure from objects such as tree
roots, previously-placed concrete, or rebar.
9. Diagonal corner cracking: Cracks that run from one joint to its perpendicular
joint at the corner of a slabThe corners of concrete slabs can be prone to
curling(due to differences in temperature at different depths in the curing
concrete) or warping (due to differences in moisture evaporation at different
depths in the curing concrete). The dryer or colder level of concrete will
shrink more and create cracks as the concrete dries.Because the warped or
curled-up corners often have some empty space below them, they are also
prone to cracking after curing due to weight overload causing the corner to
snap downward into the empty space.
Source: Technical Documents Messages
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Related Questions More Answers Below
How thick does concrete need to be to not crack?
What are the methods to repair the concrete cracks and their disadvantages?
Does the heat of hydration cause cracks in concrete?
Tushar Gupta, PhD Mining Engineering & Civil Engineering, IITB-Monash

11 2
Research Academy (2018)
Answered September 27, 2017
Originally Answered: How do cracks form in concrete?

So the cracks in the concrete may form at two different times. They can appear during
the setting or curing time, or they can appear due to the structural failure of concrete
itself. To understand both of them, it is important to understand what concrete is and
how it forms.
During formation, in presence of water, the cement in concrete undergoes hydration

reaction. It's critical components such as di calcium silicates, tri calcium silicates,
calcium alumininates etc., react with the lime in the cement and water, to form gell like
CSH and CAH compounds. These gives cement it's primary strength … (more)

Vivek Singh, Founder - Director at BRICKS TO WOOD

9
Answered December 17, 2017
Concrete is considered one of the most durable and long lasting material used by
construction industry. Normally construction industry needs faster development of
strength in concrete so that the project can be completed on time or before time.
Due to volume change in concrete cracks are developed . Few reasons of volume
changes , such as internal volume change due to heat of hydration, sulphate action,
moisture movement, pozzolanic action, rusting of steel reinforcement and shrinkage.
Why do Concrete Cracks can be divided into ….
Cracking of Plastic or Prehardened Concrete.
Cracking of Hardened Concrete.
CRACKING OF PLASTIC or PREHARDENED CONCRETE
Cracks due to Drying :
· Plastic Shrinkage – water from fresh concrete can be lost by evaporation,

absorption by subgrade, formwork, and hydration process etc., Rate of evaporation is Messages
excess of 1 kg/m2 per hour is critical.
· Settlement Cracks – When fresh concrete is vibrated or otherwise settles and if the
concrete is free to settle uniformly then there are no cracks.
· Delayed Curing - When a proper uninterrupted hydration is not maintained at early

stage , when hydration rate is faster and concrete dried up fast then cracks develop on
the surface.
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· Bleeding – Due to too1 much working on the top surface, the water
5 being the lightest Connect with others on
emerges on the surface. A too fine material with excess water develops cracks Search
and Quora Add question
craziness. conversation.
Cracks due to Constructional Movement :

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· Formwork movement
· Excess Vibration
· Sub grade settlement
· Finishing
CRACKING OF HARDENED CONCRETE
Thermal Stress :
· Freezing and Thawing
· External Temperature
· Heat of hydration
Chemical Reaction :
· Acid Attack
· Chloride Attack
· Carbonation
· Sulphate Attack
Unsound Materials :
· Cement
· Sand ( excess silt,dust and mud )
· Aggregate.
Corrosion of reinforcement
Errors in design and detailing
Poor construction methods.

3.3K views · View 9 upvotes

NITHIN G (Hassan), former Intern Structural Engineer at WS Atkins

2
Global (2018)
Answered May 30, 2018
Originally Answered: What are the reasons for cracks developing in a concrete slab?
1) Plastic shrinkage cracks occur when water evaporates too quickly from the surface.
This causes the top of the slab to dry more quickly than the bottom and they pull each
apart. This is more likely to happen when it is hot, windy or there is low humidity. To
avoid this use proper curing procedures. The key is to keep the surface moist. This can
be done by placing wet burlap, mats or towels on the concrete. You can also put your
sprinkler on the mist setting and let it run. There are also chemicals that can be
Messages
applied that retard the water evaporation. The time to begin any of these processes…
(more)

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Kishan Thacker, 1MTech Construction Technology and Managment,
5 Indian Connect with others on
Institute of Technology, Madras (2021) Quora by beginning a new
Answered December 8, 2020 conversation.
Originally Answered: Is cracking in concrete normal?
Yes, definitely. New message
Let me tell you there are 2 types of concrete.
1. The concrete which is cracked
2. The concrete that will be cracked
So, in general cracks in concrete are inevitable.
Also, every crack (based on the pattern of crack, type of structure, time before the
crack initiated, depth of the crack, etc.) has a different story to tell, some cracks need
immediate attention, some can hamper serviceability criteria. The concrete needs to
be assessed before commenting though.

Mamoon Shaafaey
Originally Answered: Why are cracks found after slab concreting?
Concrete is one of the most long lasting, economical building materials ever devised
by man. When placed properly and in the right application it will last a long, long time.
However, (don’t you just love it when a “however” follows an opening positive
statement) nothing good lasts forever and concrete is no exception. It will crack; it is
just a matter of when. Take a look at the sidewalk, the driveway, even the floor in
stores where the concrete is not covered with tile. They have cracks.
Some of those cracks appeared within hours of pouring. Others took many years to
develop. So, if we can p… (more)

Saurabh Mishra, studied Civil Engineering (2013)

2
Answered April 19, 2018
Originally Answered: What causes concrete to crack?

There are several factors to that:
1. Not providing enough curing to the concrete causes it to crack. When concrete is in
the process of gaining strength (hardening) after setting, it heats up due to tricalcium
silicate’s reaction with the water. The heat, then, evaporates the water content rapidly.
Since the initial process of concrete gaining strength goes on for years (but most of
the strength is developed within 28 days), it requires a lot of water in the initial phase
of 14 days. So, if the concrete lacks water when you mix it, or if you do not cure it
once it is set, it will start to cra… (more)

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Gregory Olausen Sr., B.S., M.S. Civil Engineering & Structural Engineering,
1
California State University, Los Angeles (1982)
Originally Answered: Is it normal for concrete to crack?
Absolutely. In fact, in the case of reinforced concrete beams, the concrete HAS to
crack before the steel can begin to take tension. In fact, ALL concrete contains cracks-
No messages
some from shrinkage during
1 the initial cure, others from expansion
5 and contraction Connect with others on
due to temperature changes. In the case of slabs on grade, they WILL crack if they do Quora by beginning a new
not contain reinforcing steel, or the slab is placed on uncompacted or irregular fill. conversation.
Most of these cracks are minute- under 2 mm wide. If a crack appears that is plainly
visible- say 4–6 mm wide- it suggests a problem. In water bearing structures like
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tanks… (more)

Sandip Datta, studied at Elitte Institute of Engineering & Management

(2017)
Answered May 30, 2018
Originally Answered: What are the reasons for cracks developing in a concrete slab?
1. Due to settlement of structure (cause- poor soil capasity/natural disester like
earthquake)
2. Concrete expands and shrink due to change of temperature.
3. Proper cover not providing in slab. So it causes corrosion in reinforcement.

And concrete fails atlast.
4. High water cement ratio use in concrete causes concrete cracks
5. Rapid drying of concrete slab increase chance of cracks in concrete
6. Due to overload on concrete it may fail.
259 views

Alan Carter, former Consultant Civil Engineer

4
Answered August 14, 2017
Originally Answered: Why is a concrete wall cracking?
There are many reasons why a concrete wall will crack. Firstly you need to be more
specific in defining what the wall is made of and what it is doing. It may be a
reinforced concrete wall (one with steel reinforcement embedded in the concrete) or
one with no reinforcement. It may be holding up the ground on one side. (A retaining
wall) supporting a building or just a barrier. Given that information would help to limit
the possibilities! At the most general level concrete walls crack because of incorrect
design or poor materials or poor construction methods. Detailing all the possibilities
with… (more)

Shashank Namdeo, Doing in IIT delhi

4 2

Concrete is very complex thing !!
Its behavior is still not known fully but the behaviour of cracks forms in concrete can Messages
be understand by relating the concept with structural mechanics.
There are lots of voids are present in concrete like gel pores etc. Agree?
When the load is applied on the concrete member then at the tip of voids there are
huge stress concentration forms. Agree?
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conversation.
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So when this stress concentration reaches to strength of concrete then crack starts to
propagate. Agree?
This is how cracks develops.

2 comments from Nikunj Pande and more
Rick Sathre, studied Civil Engineering at Minnesota (1973)

8

Cracks occur because the concrete slabs shrink as they dry out. Proper design includes
cutting the slabs when they are wet to try to get the slabs to crack along the lines
scored. Control of cracks is often done by reinforcing the slabs with reinforcement
such as wire mesh or fiber mesh imbedded in the slab. One technique used to
minimize this cracking is to maintain higher moisture levels in the concrete mix by
slowing evaporation. Slabs also frequently crack because of shifting of the soils under
the slabs. Proper soil compaction can minimize cracking from differential settlement.

Michael Thomas, former Engineer/radiation monitor R.A.F. at Royal

2
Observer Corps (1980-1991)
Cracks occur due to stress & the fact that as concrete hardens it shrinks in volume.
The aim is very often to limit crack widths to be acceptable for the application it is
used for. In water retaining structures for example, fairly closely spaced reinforcing
bars are put in both faces. These bars run in 2 directions ,both horizontally & vertically.
Concrete beams under load get cracked below the neutral axis, but you can’t normally
see these cracks with the naked eye.
Messages
If you want to reduce cracks forming in slabs etc. don’t have excessive water in the mix
.Also make sure that the concrete is cur… (more)

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Jim Anderson, M.S.
1 Civil Engineering, B.S. Business Admin. 5Civil Connect with others on
Engineering & Business Administration, Louisiana Tech Univ… Quora by beginning a new
Answered August 4, 2018 conversation.
There are many reasons. Probably the most common cause is shrinkage cracking
caused by the change in volume as concrete cures. Typically handled by saw-cutting New message
contraction joints at appropriate intervals. Delay in cutting those joints will result in
cracking. Premature loading of green concrete by construction equipment is also
common. I’ve seen heavy forklifts rolling on green concrete to remove forms to be
used on the next pour. Failure to apply curing compound promptly or stripping forms
too quickly. Especially critical on windy days which cause rapid drying of the surface.
Excessively hot … (more)

Mehedi, works at Students

3
A major form of crack development is due to temperature and shrinkage. After
concrete casting, the concrete wants to shrink which creates tensile stress, since
concrete is weaker in tension it can’t bear the tension and cracks.
To limit or prevent this cracking, extra reinforcement needs to be provided for taking
that tensile stress, to better control / limit the cracking.

Chin Jie, knows Mandarin Chinese

1
It depend on the design criteria and it is normal to saw a crack unless you are seeing a
crack that is more than 0.3mm (again, depend on design) which in this case you may
need to be more careful as Engineer always design the concrete so that it start to
crack before complete failure as a early warning indication.
72 views · View 1 upvote

Mytawalbeh, studied Civil Engineering

2
There are a lot of reasons where you need to investigate the root cause, could one or
more, including but not limited to:
Differential settlement.
Soil bearing capacity is lower than stresses utilized.

Messages
Overloaded. Service loads exceed design loads.
Poor workmanship during construction.
Inappropriate concrete mix design.
Shrinkage reinforcement is not provided.
Insufficient curing.
Weather conditions if the wrong cement type was used.

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Lack of contraction/1 expansion joints for long walls. 5 Connect with others on
conversation.
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Engin Burak Anil, Sr. Research Engineer at HERE Technologies

Answered November 1, 2017
Many reasons:
Differential settlement
Any kind of load (e.g., gravity, lateral, out-of-plane). Concrete cracks no matter what
you do. You can limit crack size by good design, though; especially important in
structures submerged in water or built in harsh environments.
Corrosion of steel (steel expands when it corrodes)Unwanted chemical reactions. e.g.,

alkali-silica reaction.
There may be more I can’t recall now.

186 views

Joydweep Deori, Assistant Manager at North Eastern Electric Power

1
Corporation Ltd. (2017-present)
May be because of
i. Presence of biological matter (like small branches, leaves or insects) during casting
which on decomposition release gas that is powerful enough to cause cracks as they
try to escape
ii. Improper curing after casting
iii. Anomalies with the cement constituents or cement sand aggregate mixing ratio or
water cement ratio
iv. No provisions for taking care of contraction and expansion of concrete


Rudresh Singh Gaharwar, Engineer at Rpp Infra Projects (2016-present)


Concrete wall cracking really it means there may be some reason
Messages
1. Incorrect concrete ratio .
2. Incorrect measurement of material , suppose let's take an example the ratio

is 1:2:4 and work is done by without measurement box or proper
measurement than there may be chances of increasing one material that will
cause in strength of concrete.
3. Incorrect curing
4. Incorrect placing of concrete . when vibrations is not used . No messages

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Robert Gemma, President at MetroWest Engineering (1985-present)

As the concrete cures, a process that can take several years, it contracts as water
evaporates. The contraction causes a tensile stress that pulls the concrete apart,
creating the crack. Steel or other reinforcement such as thin fibers, are added to
concrete to provide tensile strenght and control cracking.
143 views

Minh Trần, Diploma Civil Engineering, Caulfield Institute of Technology

Answered February 1, 2018
Cracks are found after slab concreting became of shrinking. Wet concrete becomes
hard due to a chemical process which liberates heat. This is the reason why the
concrete must be cured by keeping the surface that is exposed to air is kept wet.
141 views

Abdul Khalique, B.E Civil Engineering & Construction, KCT Enggineering

College (2015)
Answered October 21, 2017
Concrete does not require much water to achieve maximum strength. But a wide
majority of concrete used in residential work has too much water added to the
concrete on the job site. This water is added to make the concrete easier to install.
This excess water also greatly reduces the strength of the concrete.
Shrinkage is a main cause of cracking. As concrete hardens and dries it shrinks. This is
due to the evaporation of excess mixing water. The wetter or soupier the concrete mix,
the greater the shrinkage will be. Concrete slabs can shrink as much as 1/2 inch per
100 feet. This shrinkage cause… (more)

Anurag Singh Tomar, bachelor of technology Civil Engineering

1
Originally Answered: How do cracks form in concrete? Messages
There are many reasons but according to me
1 -Plastic shrinkage cracking occurs when subjected to a very rapid loss of moisture
caused by a combination of factors which include air and concrete temperatures,
relative humidity, and wind velocity at the surface of the concrete.
2 Settlement cracking – After initial placement, vibration, and finishing, concrete has
a tendency to continue to consolidate. During this period, the plastic concrete may be
No messages
locally restrained by reinforcing
1 steel, a prior concrete placement, 5or formwork. This Connect with others on
local restraint may result in voids and/or cracks adjacent to t… (more) Quora by beginning a new
conversation.
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Lorna Shipton, former Systems Engineer at Commvault (2013-2020)

Originally Answered: Why did my foundation crack?
The first thing to consider is the underlying base on to which it is being applied.
Foundation will cravings if there is lack of moisture, so if the base layer isn't properly
prepared then the foundation will dry out to quickly and crack. Another reason could
be that it is being applied to thickly. It should be blended out to a very fine layer
rather than being a thick layer.
34 views

Venkata Ramakrishna Duvvuri, Experience in structural design ,

valuation of real estate
Answered April 19, 2018
Originally Answered: What causes concrete to crack?

Excessive compression, tension, shear or twisting beyond the limits of strength. In
each case the nature of cracks will be different. sometimes absence of enough curing
weakens the concrete resulting in cracks.
96 views · Answer requested by Alex Frew

Mi Tang, MS Civil Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University

3 1
Concrete is weak at tension but good at compression.Even under reliable design,
reinforced concrete use reinforcement to take tension and concrete take compression.
However, concrete at tension side will crack before reinforcement(steel) stressed since
strength of concrete is less than steel. Under unreliable design, wherever damage
happens, visible concrete cracks due to its brittle property under either tension, shear,
compression, torsion. Actually concrete cracks happens as long as load exists, but not
visible if loading is in small scale.
1 comment from A to Z YOUTUBE
Purushottam Kumar, lives in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

Messages
Answered February 26, 2020
hey,
I am working from last 2yrs i think cracks develop only because of less compaction of
soil in that area and curing also if u not cure concrete properly it will crack after any
vechicle movment.
Have a great day.

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conversation.

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Larry Wilkerson, former Job Superintendent, Retail Manager, Carpenter,

1
at Far Too Many
Originally Answered: What is normal concrete cracking?
Concrete will crack. We try to control it with relief cuts and expansion joints. It is my
understanding that the cracks that appear early are mostly caused by uneven curing
(drying). The air will cause the top to cure faster than the middle or bottom. If the slab
is on bare earth (no moisture barrier), this will cause the bottom to dry faster than the
middle or top.
There was a method of curing called ponding that is rarely used today. It works best
on a slab using a vapor barrier. A berm slightly higher than the slab surrounds the
work area and the slab is flooded with water once it begins to … (more)

William Gorman, former CEO E-C Apparatus Corp an Instrument Maker

1
(1969-1991)
The reasons are myriad. The cause can be in the mix used and how well it was
prepared to the pour timing. Inadequate site preparation and incorrect loading are
other reasons. Improper placing of reinforcing steel to insufficient use of rebar is
another reason. And, the load calculations may be incorrect.

Subramanian Irulappan, Consulting Civil Struct Engineer and Astrologer

at Self-Employment (2003-present)
Originally Answered: Why do we observe cracks in concrete?

Every structure is to be inspected frequently as far as possible considering the
importance of it.Generally cracks are formed in concrete due to corrosion,shear and
bending.If the micro cracks are spotted thro’ microscopes it will be an advance
warning to take remedial action. Many of the failures of structures can be avoided
except natural calamities.
63 views

Messages
Salina London

Shrinkage breaks are normal and can happen as right on time as a couple of hours
after the piece has been poured and wrapped up. Generally they are not a danger to
the structure.
36 views
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conversation.

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Tauqeer Alam NS, studied Civil Engineering

Answered July 24, 2017
As we done in our practicals, cracks are developed in the concrete to determine its
compressive strength, By using UTM (universal testing machine) …
174 views · Answer requested by T Padmesh

Jay, Vice-President, Co-Owner (1976-present)

1
It depends on a lot of factors: how the wall was constructed, what reinforcing
materials were used in addition to the concrete, what p.s.i. strength (pounds per
square inch) was the concrete mix, how much water was added to the mix when it was
poured, how hot was concrete mix when it was poured, how hot was it the the day it
was poured, how thick is the wall, was a curing compound used after the wall was
poured, are there any expansion joints in the wall, etc.
There are a lot of factors that go in concrete construction and doing it properly, and
more information is needed before an intelligent… (more)

Masum Raja Khan, studied at St. Mary's College of Engineering and

Technology (2018)
Answered November 24, 2017
Originally Answered: Why are cracks providing in a slab?
the cracks providing in slab many reasons..
1-not proper curing of slab..
2-not proper placement and unsuitable vibration of concrete..
3-thermal expansion and shrinkage.
4-delayed curing of concrete.
5-bleeding of water from concrete.
6-unsound materials & mass concrete.
7-lack of admixture.
8-not sufficient using covering.

182 views
Messages

Scott Grundy
Normally because the concrete has dried out too quickly.
No messages
We always keep our concrete
1 dampened down for several days,to 5prevent this. Connect with others on
114 views · Answer requested by Khun Nam Quora by beginning a new
conversation.
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Matt Crump, Forman (2018-present)

Originally Answered: Is it normal for concrete to crack?
Yes all most every concrete pad ever made cracked now if the crack is over 1 inch wide
then you have a base problem and need to contact a erosion expert immediately.
23 views

Georgy Alexander, B.Tech Civil Engineering, Amal Jyothi College of

Engineering (2018)

Concrete could crack probably due lack of proper compaction of concrete or due to
insufficient curing of concrete,
67 views

Raja Sekar A, Site Supervisor at R.R.Thulasi Builders Pvt (2017-present)

Wrong ratio are provided
37 views

32 answers collapsed (Why?)
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Avirat Dhodare Does the heat of hydration cause cracks in

Types of Cracks in Fresh and Hardened Concrete -Causes and

Causes of cracks in concrete can be many summarized as:

Concrete expands and shrinks due to temperature differences

Due to heavy load applied or

Due to loss of water from concrete surface shrinkage occurs

Insufficient vibration at the time of laying the concrete

Improper cover provided during concreting

High water cement ratio to make the concrete workable

Due to corrosion of reinforcement steel

Types of Cracks in Concrete

The following figure shows types of cracks in concrete:

How to Prevent Cracks in Concrete Structures?

Preventive measures to avoid creation of cracks:

Reduce Water Content in Concrete:

Proper Concrete Mix Design and use of Quality Materials

Finishing of Concrete Surface

Proper Curing of Concrete

Proper Placement and Vibration of Concrete

Proper Compaction of Soil to Prevent Settlement Cracks in Concrete

Providing Control Joints in Concrete

Control joints should be located at regular intervals so as to adjust the shrinkage of

Some Other Preventive Control Measures for Cracks in Concrete:

Applying good acrylic silicone sealer yearly to concrete works

Avoid calcium chloride admixtures

Prevent extreme changes in temperature.

Consider using a shrinkage-reducing admixture

Warm the subgrade before placing concrete on it during cold weather

Consider using synthetic fibers to help control plastic shrinkage cracks.

Repairing Methods of Cracks in Concrete

Various types of Concrete Crack Repair Methodologies:

Muting and sealing

Drilling and plugging

To summarize, always prevention is better than cure. Prevention of concrete cracks

Review your English writing.

Aniket Anerao, Diploma Civil Engineering, K.K.Wagh Polytechnic, Nasik

Concrete is basically a homogeneous mixture of Cement, sand (artificial or otherwise

3. Mass concrete works such as dams, are progressed in steps. Sometimes at

4. Some minute cracks in concrete developed during setting of concrete are

Justin Donaton, studied Business & Sales

Originally Answered: Why do we observe cracks in concrete?

1. Plastic-shrinkage cracking: Cracks that run to the mid-depth of the concrete,

2. Crazing/Map cracking/Checking: A web of fine, shallow cracks across the

4. Pop-Outs: Conical depressions in the concrete surfaceOccurs when a piece of

5. Scaling: Small pock marks in the concrete surface, exposing aggregate

Source: Technical Documents Messages

Related Questions More Answers Below

How thick does concrete need to be to not crack?

Does the heat of hydration cause cracks in concrete?

Tushar Gupta, PhD Mining Engineering & Civil Engineering, IITB-Monash

Originally Answered: How do cracks form in concrete?

During formation, in presence of water, the cement in concrete undergoes hydration

Vivek Singh, Founder - Director at BRICKS TO WOOD

Why do Concrete Cracks can be divided into ….

Cracking of Plastic or Prehardened Concrete.

Cracking of Hardened Concrete.

CRACKING OF PLASTIC or PREHARDENED CONCRETE

Cracks due to Drying :

· Plastic Shrinkage – water from fresh concrete can be lost by evaporation,