IRC:SP:83-2008

The broad causes for common type of defects are given in Table 3.1.

3.4. Causes of Common Distresses

3.4.1. Timing of sawing the joints:

3.4.1.1. Timing is very critical. Determination of appropriate timing of sawing requires

experience and is also a site specific decision. It depends upon factors like, ambient temperature,
wind velocity, relative humidity, type of aggregates used and rate of strength gain etc.

3.4.1.2. International literature suggests that there is a time range during which the activity

of sawing should be completed. This time range is known as sawing window. Fig. 3.1 depicts this
sawing window. Experienced saw operators rely on their judgement and to some extent on scratch
test to decide as to whether the concrete is ready for sawing. Concrete surface can be scratched
with a nail or knife blade to examine how deep the impression is formed. As the surface hardens,
the scratch depth decreases. In general, if the scratch removes the texture, sawing should not be
undertaken as it will be a case of too early sawing. An experienced crew can always fme-tune the
optimum sawing timing. Sawing to appropriate depth is very important and shallow depth sawing
will lead to random cracking. The appropriate sawing depth is between l/4th to l/3rd of PQC
thickness.

Too Early: Too Late:

Raveling Sawing Window Cracking

a> Restraint Stress Equals

Concrete Strength
GO

o
c
o Minimum Strength to Avert
o Excessive Saw Cut
Raveling

Time of Sawing

Sawing Window
Fig. 3.1
(Published by permission of the American Concrete Pavement
Association, Copyright, 2008)

Too early sawing leads to unacceptable ravelling (see Fig. 3.2) and too late sawing leads
to uncontrolled/random full depth cracking. Uncontrolled/random full depth longitudinal cracking
often occurs due to too late sawing. An early entry dry saw, if applied to a depth of 0.2 times the
thickness of the PQC or 25 mm will avoid random Sawing should not be initiated when
cracking.
the compressive strength of the concrete is less than 2 MPa and should be completed before it

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