CPD Floors Part 3

Practical Concrete
Surface Beds
Cracking Mechanisms and
Reduction of Risk
Part 3
Main Causes of Cracking

Plastic state
Plastic shrinkage
Plastic settlement Plastic State Movements
Hardened state
Moisture movements
Thermal movements
Loading-
Plastic Shrinkage Plastic

Plastic Shrinkage
Shrinkage
Cause
Rate of evaporation exceeds rate of bleeding
and water is removed from the concrete
matrix
Surface tension of water in capillaries sets up
tensile forces that tear the weak plastic
concrete-
1
Plastic
Plastic
Shrinkage
Shrinkage
Star-Shaped
Star-Shaped Plastic
Plastic Plastic
Plastic Shrinkage
Shrinkage
Shrinkage
Shrinkage Crack
Crack Crack
Crack
Minimising the risk

SANS
SANS 10109
10109 Chart
Chart
for
for the
the estimation
estimation
Methods
of
of evaporation
evaporation
Control evaporation rates
rates
Cast concrete under ideal conditions
Use SANS 10190 chart to assess evaporation
Humidify the environment
Spray water over surface
Cast the floor after the walls and roof are up
Protect from sun and wind-
2
Orientation of Fibres
Reinforce the concrete
Light steel mesh Plastic
Zone of
Little or no effect on plastic shrinkage Shrinkage
Beneficial Crack
Use fibres
Orientation
High surface area
Very close spacing
Only fibres in the correct orientation will be
effective
Do not eliminate bleeding Fibre
Use a well designed mix

Attention to grading of sand-
Plastic Settlement
Causes
Sinking
of particles with a specific gravity
above that of water
Cracks form where particles are restrained or
inhibited from moving
Segregation of coarse and fine particles
Poorabrasion resistance
Lower E-value-
Minimising the risk

Control bleeding
Specify a maximum allowable rate
ASTM Test – 0.3 mℓ/cm2
Use a well designed mix
Attentionto grading of sand particularly fines
Use AEA-
3
Use fibres to reduce migration of water
Increase aggregate surface area
Increase tensile strain
Increase cohesion
Bind mix
Minimise retardation
Low temperatures
Admixtures
Slow cement- Influence of fibres on segregation
Drying Shrinkage
Due to Restrained Shrinkage of Concrete
Movements in Hardened Result of moisture loss over extended time
Concrete Initial
shrinkage is largest movement made
by concrete
Can be measured and specified-
4
Shrinkage
Shrinkage Sample
Sample
and
and Comparator
Comparator
Cause of Cracking
Unrestrained concrete will not crack
Cracking Due to Drying Cracking is caused by restrained
shrinkage
Shrinkage Movement Change in thickness of slab
Frictionunder slab
Steel reinforcement-
5
Drying
Drying
Shrinkage
Shrinkage
and
and Thermal
Thermal
Movements
Movements
Drying
Drying
Shrinkage
Shrinkage
Minimise the risk

Reduce moisture movements
Reduce the amount of water evaporating
Reduce the amount of water used in the
concrete mix Water
Water
Use largest coarse aggregate possible
Content
Content vs
vs
Use admixtures
Shrinkage
Shrinkage
Select well-shaped aggregate
Reduce the rate of moisture loss until concrete
has gained strength by desifying the concrete
through curing
Reduce bleeding-
Expansion on Rewetting
Reduce the amount of water adsorbed

Expansion of Concrete Densify the surface through curing
Reduce bleeding in plastic state
Prevent contact with water
Indoors
Under slabs-
6
Thermal Movements
Causes
Contraction on cooling
Expansion on heating
Differential contraction and expansion will
Differential Shrinkage and
worsen cracking Expansion
Cold room with warm soil underneath
Ground frozen underneath and warm above
Slab surface in sun
Slab surface cold and wet underneath
Accommodated in open joints-
Curling
Causes of curling
Drying shrinkage in the top 50 mm Thermal contraction & expansion of the
Airconditioning surface
Plastic sheet underneath Sun
Cold room
Moisture expansion of the bottom 50 mm
Warm subbase-
Poorly sealed joints
Plastic sheet underneath
Overlay slabs
High water table-
Curling
Minimise the risk
Reduce differential moisture movement
Don’t put plastic underneath
Seal joints adequately
Reduce differential thermal movement

Cold room floors on the ground - use insulation
Slab panels in the sun
Increase ductility or flexural strength to

resist load
Use fibres-
7
Curling
Curling Failure
Failure
due
due to
to Loading
Loading
Use correct cement
Make the slab thick enough
The mass of the slab will oppose uplift
Verticalrestraint between panels will reduce
curling unless they are moving together-
Reinforcement
Steel mesh
Must not prevent joint from opening
Minimising the Risk Must be in the correct position relative to the

thickness
of Shrinkage Cracking Must have sufficient steel cross-sectional area
Fibres
Polypropylene fibres ineffective in hardened state
Steel fibres are more effective
Minimise shrinkage movements-
Joints
Allow the movement to take place by giving
the concrete somewhere to go-
8
Load
Load Load applied to floor
Transfer
Transfer
Concrete slab Restrained

vertical
Accommodation of Movement in
Low subbase
Joints High subbase
stress and possible
stress at
acceptable levels
failure
Effect of load transfer at

edge of slab
Concrete slab
with increased
thickness Low subbase
stress at acceptable
levels
No
No Restraint
Restraint
Degree of Shrinkage a Shrinkage b
Saw cuts
Restraint
Frictionless
surface - greased Concrete slab on frictionless
glass? surface.
Restraint
Restraint
Crack width a+b
Concrete slab restrained at ends.
9
Small
Small Restraint
Restraint
More
More Restraint
Restraint
Cracks Saw cuts

Combined crack all cracked
Plastic sheet width = a + b
reduced friction but
not frictionless
Saw cuts
Damp subbase
no plastic
Slab on damp subbase.
Concrete slab on plastic sheet.
Large
Large Restraint
Restraint
Cracks Light mesh
Note on Steel Mesh
Itis virtually impossible to position it 50 mm

Plastic
Slab with light mesh. below the surface where it would be most
Heavy
Multiple
reinforcement
effective and it serves little or no purpose. If
micro cracks the steel mesh is placed so that it is able to
cross the location of the joints then it will not
allow the joints to open and its presence is
Subbase
Slab with heavy reinforcement.
detrimental to the performance of the floor-
Design Criteria for Joints

Requirements Jointshide cracks – they do not eliminate
them
Must not allow vertical movement between
panels i.e. provide vertical restraint Must be effective for the full life of the floor or
expansion can severely damage the structure
Must allow free movement laterally i.e. no
horizontal restraint Must open sufficiently initially, to provide an
opening that will accommodate all future
Must not open by more than 0.9 mm or the
expansions due to moisture and expansion
vertical interlock will be ineffective
The initial shrinkage is always the greatest
Must not open to more than 1.25 times the movement and is usually adequate if it is kept
original width or the sealant will fail- open-
10
Empirical rules for joint spacing
25 to 30 times the thickness of the slab
Maximum spacing 4.5 m
Aspect ratio less than 1.25
Practical Concrete Surface
Cracking out of joints requires restraint Beds
provided by friction under the floor
All joints must crack out or the movement in
those that do will be too great
End Part 3
Joints accommodate all future movement due
to moisture or thermal effects-
11

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Practical Concrete

Main Causes of Cracking

Plastic Shrinkage Plastic

Minimising the risk

 Use a well designed mix

 Minimising the risk

 Minimise the risk

 Reduce the amount of water adsorbed

 Accommodated in open joints-

 Reduce differential thermal movement

 Increase ductility or flexural strength to

Minimising the Risk  Must be in the correct position relative to the

Concrete slab Restrained

Effect of load transfer at

Concrete slab restrained at ends.

Cracks Saw cuts

Concrete slab on plastic sheet.

 Itis virtually impossible to position it 50 mm

Design Criteria for Joints

You might also like

Use a well designed mix

Minimising the risk

Minimise the risk

Reduce the amount of water adsorbed

Accommodated in open joints-

Reduce differential thermal movement

Increase ductility or flexural strength to

Minimising the Risk Must be in the correct position relative to the

Itis virtually impossible to position it 50 mm