03/12/2021, 16:50 How to Evaluate and Troubleshoot Concrete Cracks - Recommendations | For Construction Pros

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How to Evaluate & Troubleshoot Concrete Cracks
Cracks may represent the total extent of damage or the first signs of serious trouble. Some recommendations for
troubleshooting concrete cracks prior to designing or performing repairs.
March 1, 2021 By Kim Basham, PhD PE FACI

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Photo Credit: Adobe Stock Images | By Lost_in_the_Midwest

Cracking is a natural, expected, and accepted behavior of concrete. However, cracks may affect the appearance, function, durability,
service life, or more seriously, the structural integrity of the concrete. For these reasons, designers, concrete producers, and
contractors are always trying to control or minimize the amount and severity of concrete cracking. However, crack-free concrete is
seldom achievable, especially for standard unreinforced or reinforced concrete.
Basically, concrete cracks. That’s a fact.
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For some projects, the specifications require cracks in concrete to be repaired and may specify a crack repair procedure or may simply
require cracks to be repaired as directed by the engineer. Regardless of what is required by the specifications, cracks should be
investigated before designing or performing repairs, especially for elevated structures. Otherwise, repairs may not address the root
cause of cracks resulting in poorly repaired cracks that fail prematurely or repairs that may not restore the as-designed condition of the
structure. More importantly, a proper investigation can determine if a crack is the first sign of serious trouble indicating the load-carrying
capacity of the structure may be jeopardized by either a design, detailing, or construction error.

Here are some recommendations for troubleshooting concrete cracks prior to designing or performing repairs.

The Fundamental Cause of Cracking

There are many types of cracks related to different causes but the shared cracking mechanism for all common cracks is tension. The
tensile capacity of concrete is limited for both plastic or hardened concrete. Concrete is not a ductile material; it will not stretch when
subjected to tensile stresses. When the tensile stresses exceed the tensile capacity of the concrete (about 10% of the compressive
strength), concrete cracks. Of course, the tensile capacity increases as freshly placed concrete hardens but while plastic and at early
ages, concrete has little tensile capacity so it is very vulnerable to cracking.

A crack investigation should determine the root cause of the tension (figure 1) so the cause can be considered when designing or
performing crack repairs. Once the cause of the tension has been identified, the type of crack or a crack label can be assigned such as
plastic settlement, plastic shrinkage, early-thermal contraction, restrained drying shrinkage which are common types of cracking.
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Figure 1. Red arrows shown perpendicular to the crack simulate the tensile stresses that created the crack. Determining what caused the tensile stresses is the key to determining what caused the
crack and assigning a label such as plastic-shrinkage, thermal, or drying-shrinkage crack, etc.
Kim Basham
Typically, cracks are categized as “before hardening” while the concrete is still plastic and “after hardening” or after the concrete has
hardened. Because tensile capacity increases as concrete hardens and gains strength, a third category called “early age” exists. This
category refers to the time period after hardening but prior to the concrete gaining full strength. Many cracks occur when early-age
concrete is subjected to tensile stresses, especially concrete volume changes associated with restrained thermal contraction (cooling)
or concrete drying shrinkage.

For slabs-on-ground, restraints include the base material and reinforcing if installed, and adjacent foundations and walls if not isolated
from the slab with isolation joints. For walls and elevated slabs, connecting concrete elements act as restraints that prevent volume
changes of the concrete from occurring. Restraints lock the concrete in place so that volume changes of the concrete (i.e., thermal and
drying shrinkage) cannot occur resulting in tensile stresses within the concrete.

Crack Investigations
Ideally, a crack investigation should always start with a site visit and a detailed visual inspection. At a minimum, do the following during
the site visit:

1. Create a crack map showing the locations and characteristics of the cracks. Also, show other important elements such as
joints, openings, penetrations, and restraints such as foundations, walls, columns, etc.
2. Measure and record crack widths and lengths. For slabs-on-ground, measure contraction joint spacings and sawcut depths.
3. Take lots of photographs.

If possible, obtain and review the construction drawings and specifications including the reinforcement details and concrete cover to
assist with the visual inspection and to better understand the possible causes of the cracks and the designed crack control provisions.
Obtain and review the concrete mix design, batch tickets, and any placing and concrete reports that are available. For slabs-on-grade,
try to obtain the sawcut timing for the contraction joints. Also, obtain concrete curing information and review the site conditions including
weather during and after concrete placement. Obtain the time when cracks first appeared. Documentation should include sufficient
information so others can fully understand the nature and severity of the cracking without visiting the project.

Crack Maps
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Figure 2. Example of a crack map showing crack widths in mils. Highlighted cracks (yellow and orange) indicate two levels of crack edge spalling. Not show is the crack inventory that summarized
crack widths, lengths and amount of crack edge spalling per gird squares for the floor.
Kim Basham
Sketch the cracks and record the measured crack widths and lengths directly on printed copies of the construction drawings. Try to
sketch the cracks to scale and close as possible to their actual locations. Note any crack patterns that may exist and if possible, the
depth of cracks. Be neat and organized so either the actual crack map created onsite can be easily used to quantify the cracking or
used to create an electronic version. Mark locations of photographs so photographs can be used to enhance the value of the crack
map.

Crack maps should contain sufficient information so a detailed crack inventory can be created for the purpose of designing and
estimating the cost of repairs. For example, a crack inventory can categorize and list cracks according to widths, depths, locations,
cracks with and without edge spalling, or other characteristics for the purpose of assigning different repair materials and procedures for
each category of crack. Be sure the crack map inventory has sufficient information to accurately estimate repair costs or for repair
contractors to bid on the work. Figure 2 shows an example of a crack map for a structural slab supported by beams/girders and piles.

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Photo 1. To use a crack compactor card, place on crack and algin line that matches the crack width, and read line width.
Kim Basham

Crack Widths
Measure crack widths using a crack comparator card or an optical crack width measurer. As shown in photo 1, use the crack
comparator card by aligning the proper line thickness over the crack and noting the width of the line. Be sure to measure the actual
crack width and not the surface width formed by any crack edge spalling that may have occurred. If needed, measure the surface width
where edge spalling has occurred and the actual crack width just below the surface as shown in figure 3. Crack widths are needed to
help select the most appropriate repair material and procedure. Also, it is easier to record and manage crack widths using the unit of
“mils” than using inches where a mil is equal to 0.001 inches. For example, 0.004 inches equals 4 mils.

Active or Dormant?
Determining whether cracks are active or dormant is critical for designing a crack repair, or more specifically, selecting an appropriate
repair material and procedure. Active or live cracks are moving cracks or cracks that are likely to grow in width and perhaps length or
open/close with changing concrete temperatures. Dormant or stable cracks are unlikely to grow in width or open/close with changing
concrete temperatures. Active cracks should be repaired or sealed with flexible repair materials to accommodate future crack
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Figure 3. Be sure to measure crack widths and not spall widths unless measuring both.
Kim Basham
movements. Whereas, dormant cracks can be repaired with either flexible or rigid repair materials.

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Photo 2. Using either screws or epoxy, mount the two-piece calibrated crack monitor on the concrete over the crack. The red crosshairs on the clear piece move relative to the grid on the white
piece graphically showing the direction and amount of movement.
Kim Basham

Specially designed crack gauges attached to the concrete (photo 2) can help to determine if cracks are active or dormant. Of course,
other factors should be considered including the age of the concrete and the amount of concrete shrinkage yet to occur, exposure
conditions or more specifically, concrete’s exposure to solar heating/cooling, and daily/seasonal temperature changes that cause
thermal expansion and contraction of the concrete. Also, consider the effects of loads on cracks (photo 3). If in doubt about future crack
movements, assume the crack is active.

Reinforced?
Depending on type and amount, typical concrete reinforcing including steel rebars, steel fibers, and macro-synthetic fibers can control
crack width movements so cracks can be considered as dormant with regards to designing a crack repair procedure. It is important to
determine the type and amount of reinforcing crossing through cracks during the investigation. If needed, a rebar locator can be used to
verify the presence and location of steel reinforcing.

Type of Cracks
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Photo 3. Digital gauges can be used to measure crack width opening and closing due to a heavy wheel load.
Kim Basham
There are two basic types of concrete cracks: intrinsic or non-structural and structural. Intrinsic are naturally occurring cracks that are
related to concrete as a material such as plastic settlement and shrinkage, freezing of freshly placed concrete, crazing, thermal and
drying shrinkage, seasonal temperature changes, corrosion of reinforcement, and alkali-aggregate reactions. Whereas, structural
cracks are typically associated with overloads from either construction or service loads. These cracks typically require an engineer’s
involvement to determine if the load carrying capacity of the structure has been jeopardized and to determine what type of repair or
strengthening is required to ensure the structural integrity and safety of the structure.

The most common types of intrinsic cracking that are commonly repaired are plastic shrinkage, early-thermal contraction, and
especially, drying shrinkage cracks. Restrained drying-shrinkage cracks in both slabs and walls are the most common type of cracks
requiring repairs to improve the overall appearance, to provide crack edge support to prevent edge spalling, to seal cracks to keep
water and dirt out, and to seal cracks in environmental structures. Of course, the decision to repair cracks depends on the severity of
the cracking, exposure conditions, and the design function of the concrete.

Repairing Cracks
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Adobe Stock Images | By phatthanit

After determining the root and possibly, secondary causes of cracks, an appropriate crack repair material and procedure can be
selected and/or performed. Part 2 of this article, addresses crack repairs and how to design or select the proper materials and
procedures. Procedures addressed include: clean and fill, rout and seal/fill, epoxy and polyurethane injections, autogenous healing,
and no repair. Yes, that’s correct… no repair. Look for Part 2 soon.
References
ACI 201.1R-08 Guide for Conducting a Visual Inspection of Concrete in Service, American Concrete
Institute, www.concrete.org
ACI 224.1-07 Causes, Evaluation, and Repair of Cracks in Concrete Structures, American Concrete
Institute, www.concrete.org
Technical Report No.22, Non-structural Cracks in Concrete, 4th Edition (2010) Report of a Concrete Society Working Party,
Concrete Society, www.concrete.org.uk

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