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2.0 OCCURRENCE :

Crazing occurs on smooth surfaces. It appears on hardened concrete surface

after one to seven days period or much later. These cracks are particularly
observed during the rainy season when the wet surface starts drying. The cracks
appear in a crazy pattern generally 6 mm to 75 mm in length and fraction of a
mm in width and depth. These cracks occur on top surface of concrete slabs
and give an impression as if the concrete surface is damaged. The cracks are
superficial and will not cause structural weakness. However, they might open
up and widen later and cause aggressive chemicals to enter and reduce the
durability of the concrete structure.

3.0 OBSERVATIONS :

Crazing is most often not visible to the naked eye. Generally, crazing has no
fixed time of occurrence, it can be soon after initial hardening of concrete or
can become apparent after a few years.

However, generally crazing becomes visible after dust particles get deposited
in the cracks and considerable time has lapsed between the onset of crazing
and its recognition.

It is found that some hair cracks formed due to drying of the top surface close
when the surface becomes wet and cracks reopen when it dries once again.

Under certain conditions, cracks arising from crazing of concrete may tend to
close due to a "healing effect". Its exact mechanism is not clearly understood ,
however, it is perhaps the hydrated gel from the body of the concrete that seems
to be depositing on the surface, forming a ridge over the crack which later
weathers off to leave a surface apparently free from crazing. This phenomenon
is similar to the healing of a fine cut on the human skin. Autogenous healing
effect is usually associated with very fine cracks containing reasonably good
quantity of unhydrated cement. Healing of cracks can occur by continuous
curing of the cracked surface or by continuously submerging concrete in water.
It is observed that cracks of nearly 1 mm width can heal completely in favourable
conditions as stated above. Long term effectiveness of crazing is yet to be
assessed. However, crazing of concrete surface is not pleasing to the eye and
should be prevented as far as possible.

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4.0 CAUSES:

Crazing is due to tensile stresses caused by shrinkage on the top exposed

surface relative to the mass of concrete. This shrinkage can occur due to the
following:

0 Differential thermal movements.

0 Differential moisture movements.

0 Carbonation shrinkage of the surface. The brittle layer formed from the
products of carbonation on the surface, crazes due to shrinkage.

0 Alkali Silica reaction also leads to crazing of concrete surface.

5.0 PREVENTIVE MEASURES :

The measures which can be adopted at site to reduce crazing are given below:

0 Avoid rich concrete mixes with high cement contents.

0 Adopt the lowest possible cement and I or water content, consistent with
workability, strength and durability. Use of admixtures like plasticizers or
super plasticizers which can greatly help in reducing cement and I or water
content of the concrete mix.

j Avoid non-cohesive and under sanded concrete mixes.

0 Curing should commence as early as possible to avoid rapid drying of

concrete surface due to high ambient temperatures, low humidity and high
windy conditions. Curing process should be continuous avoiding wetting
and drying cycles.

0 Trowelling for smooth finish must be avoided on the top surface of the slab.
Excessive trowelling causes crazing on the smooth surface.

0 Remove the surface skin either by brooming or by any other method.

Rougher surfaces resist crazing better than smooth trowelled surfaces.

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 ll L3
0 Limit the maximum size of aggregate.

0 Avoid smooth and non absorbent formwork. The surfaces being smooth
and non absorbent cause crazing. Smooth steel plate or sealed plywood
shutters can cause crazing. Normal plywood formwork is preferred .

6.0 SUMMARY :

LONG TERM DRYING CRAZING :

TIME OF APPEARANCE: After 1 to 7 days or much later

TYPES I LOCATIONS :
0 Smoothly floated concrete of slabs.
0 Against formwork in fair faced concrete.

PRIMARY CAUSES :
0 Over trowelling.
0 Impermeable and smooth formwork (steel)

SECONDARY CAUSES :
0 Poor I Inefficient curing
0 Rich concrete mixes

PREVENTIVE MEASURES:
0 Improve early curing
0 Avoid over trowelli rig ~ancf non-absorbent smooth formwork
0 Avoid using rich concrete mixes.
' . .

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