Cracks in Concrete

Causes and Remedial Measures

Prof. Partha Bhattacharya

Professor and Head
Department of Civil Engineering
Jadavpur University
Kolkata – 700 032
 Introduction
- Cement Concrete is very versatile
- Widely used in various infrastructure projects
- Designed to specific needs
- If properly designed can withstand very high compressive stresses

Major Disadvantages
- Very susceptible to tensile and shear loading
- Being very brittle in tension can lead to rapid and catastrophic failure
of structure

Hence it is very important to understand cracking phenomenon of

concrete

30/03/2024 2
What is Concrete

Concrete in the micro-mechanics level is heterogeneous

Concrete is made up of two components, aggregates and paste

Aggregates are generally classified into two groups, fine and coarse, occupies about
60 to 80 percent of the volume of concrete

The paste is composed of cement, water, and entrained air and ordinarily constitutes
20 to 40 percent of the total volume

Quality of the concrete is greatly dependent upon the quality of paste -> dependent
upon the W/C ratio

30/03/2024 3
Occurrence of various crack patterns in structures subjected to super imposed load or
during the service life, is a common phenomenon.

Concrete component develops cracks whenever the stress in the components exceeds
its strength.

Stresses can be due to external loads and/or induced internally

External causes

• Applied forces, such as dead, live, wind or seismic loads

• Foundation settlement etc.

Internal causes

• Thermal movements
• Moisture changes
• Chemical action
30/03/2024 4
Where do we see cracking

Large elements / Mass placements

Accelerated construction
Multi-span continuous decks
Large surface areas / flatwork
Long / thin placements

30/03/2024 5
 Restrained thermal & drying
Plastic shrinkage
Drying shrinkage

subsidence

Delayed joint cuts

Many Potential Types of Cracks

30/03/2024 6
Cracks can be broadly classified as structural and nonstructural cracks

Structural Cracks

Incorrect design,
Faulty construction
Overloading

Non structural Cracks

Moisture change
Thermal movement
Creep
Chemical reaction
Foundation movement & settlement of soil
Growth of vegetation

30/03/2024 7
Moisture change

Building materials are porous in their structure

Have inter-molecular space
Expand on absorbing moisture from atmosphere and shrinks on drying
These movements are reversible

However, Cement Concrete undergo some irreversible movement due to initial

moisture changes after their construction.

Irreversible movement due to shrinkage of cement and lime based materials on initial
drying i.e. initial shrinkage/plastic shrinkage

30/03/2024 8
The extent of initial shrinkage in cement concrete and cement mortar depends on a
number of factors namely –

Cement content - It increase with richness of mix

Water content - Greater the water quantity used in the mix, greater is the shrinkage.

Maximum size, grading & quality of aggregate - With use of largest possible max. size of aggregate
in concrete and with good grading, requirement of water for desired workability is reduced, with
consequent less shrinkage on drying due to reduction in porosity.

Curing - When the hardening of concrete takes place under moist environment there is initially
some expansion which offsets a part of subsequent shrinkage.

30/03/2024 9
Presence of excessive fines in aggregates - The presence of fines increases specific surface area
of aggregate & consequently the water requirement for the desire workability, with increase in
initial shrinkage.

Chemical composition of cement - Shrinkage is less for the cement having greater proportion of
tri-calcium silicate and lower proportion of alkalis i.e. rapid hardening cement has greater
shrinkage than ordinary portland cement

Temperature of fresh concrete and relative humidity of surroundings - Concreting done in mild
winter have much less cracking tendency than the concreting done in hot summer months

In cement concrete 1/3rd of the shrinkage take place in the first 10 days, ½ within one month
and remaining ½ within a year time. Therefore, shrinkage cracks in concrete continues to occur
and widens up to a year period.

30/03/2024 10
Plastic shrinkage

Bleeding process continues till the concrete has set

Placing of the concrete.
If the rate of evaporation is lower than the rate of
bleeding, there is a continuous layer of water
-> Shrinkage does not occur

When the concrete surface looses water faster than

Solid particles tends to
the bleeding action bring it to the top, shrinkage of
settle down by gravity top layer takes place, and since the concrete in
action plastic state can’t resist any tension, cracks
develops on the surface.

Factors affecting the process -

• temperature of concrete,
Water rises to the surface. • exposure to the heat from sun radiation,
• relative humidity of ambient air and velocity of wind.
30/03/2024 11
Effect of Hydration of Cement on Shrinkage

• Chemical shrinkage occurs due to the reduction in absolute volume of solids and liquids in
the hydrating paste.
• Chemical shrinkage continues to occur as long as cement hydrates.
• After initial set, the paste resists deformation, causing the formation of voids in the
microstructure.

Occurs when the volume of the products of chemical reaction is smaller than the sum of the
initial reactants e.g., 0.5L of cement mixed with 0.5L water, if well hydrated, will result in
~0.94L of hydrated solid material.

Autogenous shrinkage

30/03/2024 12
 When internal relative humidity is reduced below a given threshold (i.e., extra water is
not available), self-desiccation of the paste occurs, resulting in a uniform reduction of
volume.
• Becomes significant at low water/cement ratios, less than about 0.42
Volumetric Relationship Between — Subsidence, Bleed Water, Chemical and Autogenous Shrinkage

30/03/2024 13
 Plastic Shrinkage Cracks on HPC Bridge Deck

30/03/2024 14
 Fog Misting from Upwind Edge

Sprayed on Evaporation Retarder

30/03/2024 15
 Epoxy Repair of plastic shrinkage cracks on new bridge deck

30/03/2024 16
 Ref: Jason Weiss, Oregon State University

30/03/2024 17
 Shrinkage Reducing Admixtures

30/03/2024 18
Internal curing

Refers to the process by which the hydration of cement occurs because of the
availability of additional internal water that is not part of the mixing water (ACI)

Helps the concrete to achieve its full potential in an economic and sustainable manner

Utilizes pre-wetted absorbent materials that contain moisture. This moisture is

dispersed throughout the concrete when the internal humidity of the concrete drops
below 100% to keep cement paste saturated, which leads to greater hydration of
cement.

Curing agent can be saturated porous aggregate or superabsorbent polymers

Expanded shale, slag, pumice, perlite, and clay are examples of lightweight aggregate

30/03/2024 19
 ADVANTAGES

1.Increased concrete strength

2.Decreased permeability
3.Reduced warping
4.Increased resistance to early age cracking
5.Improved dimensional stability
6.Enhanced resistance to freezing and
thawing cycles, deicing chemicals, and
chemical attacks
7.Improved concrete resistance against creep

30/03/2024 20
Plastic Settlement Crack

In freshly laid/placed reinforced cement concrete structure, cracks may also occur on
the surface before concrete has set, when there is relatively high amount of bleeding
& there is some form of obstruction (i.e. reinforcement bars) to the downward
settlement of the solids.

These obstruction break the back of concrete above them forming the voids under
their belly.
Short horizontal fractures will result if this settlement is slowed by obstructions

These cracks are normally observed

• Over form work tie bolts, or over reinforcement near the top of section.
• In narrow column and walls due to obstruction to sedimentation by resulting
arching action of concrete due to narrow passage.
• At change of depth of section.

30/03/2024 21
30/03/2024 22
Drying shrinkage

Cracks can form when a concrete slab loses moisture quickly

30/03/2024 23
Crazing Cracks -> very fine, surface cracks that resemble spider webs or shattered glass

Crusting cracks typically happen during the concrete stamping process, which is a way of
adding texture or pattern to concrete surfaces

Not a structural concern

30/03/2024 24
 More curing reduces on-set and rate of drying shrinkage

30/03/2024 25
Thermal Movement

All materials more or less expands on heating and contracts on cooling. When this
movement is restraint, internal stresses are set-up in the component, and may cause
cracks due to tensile or shear stress.

Extent of thermal movement depends upon :

• Ambient temperature variation
• Co-efficient of thermal expansion – Expansion of cement mortar & concrete is
almost twice of the bricks and brick work. Movement in brickwork in vertical direction is
50% more than in horizontal direction.
• Dimensions of components

30/03/2024 26
 Cracking in cross walls of top most storey of a load
Horizontal crack at the base of brick masonry parapet bearing structure

Arching up and cracking of coping stones of a long

Garden wall

30/03/2024 27
Thermal Cracking

Excessive temperature gradients resulting from heat of hydration of cement.

Restraint from adjacent cool temperature components preventing contraction on

cooling (often seen on barrier walls dowelled into previously placed base slabs, with
cracks starting from the bottom)

30/03/2024 28
 As concrete heats up it swells, then it contracts on cooling
back to ambient temperature----inducing tensile stresses

30/03/2024 29
Concrete contracts about 10 x

The outside cools faster than the core so tensile stresses can cause cracks if the
thermal gradient >
With bridge decks, the substructure is cool and similar gradients will induce transverse
cracking

Water Leaking Through New Bridge Deck Due to Transverse Cracks (thermal + shrinkage)
30/03/2024 30
 Thermal cracks in mass retaining wall
30/03/2024 31
 MTO HPC is 50
MPa and <1000
coulombs at 28
days

Ref:
Alaskar Abdulaziz 2017
University of Toronto

Measured concrete temperature at mid depth (112mm) of 7 bridge

decks profile (MTO, 2012)
30/03/2024 32
Creep

Building materials subjected to sustained load not only under go instantaneous

elastic deformation but also under go a gradual and slow time dependent
deformation known as creep or plastic strain

In concrete, the extent of creep depends on :

• Water & cement content - Increases

• Water cement ratio - Increases
• Temperature and humidity – Increases and decreases
• Use of admixture and pozzolanas – Increases
• Age/strength of concrete at the time of loading - decrease
• Size and shape of the component – Increases with increase in surface to volume
ratio of component

30/03/2024 33
The major affect of creep in concrete is the substantial increase in the deformation
of structural members, which may be to the extent of 2 to 3 times the initial elastic
deformation

When the deformation due to elastic strain and creep occurs in conjunction with
shortening of an RCC member due to shrinkage, cracking is much more severe and
damaging.

In concrete it may continue up to a year or so, and most of creep takes place in 1st
month there after it pace slows down.

30/03/2024 34
Cracks due to Chemical Reaction

Certain chemical reactions in building materials -> increase in volume of materials, due to
which internal stresses are setup -> outward thrust and formation of cracks

Common instances of chemical reactions are :

• Sulphate attack
• Carbonation in cement based materials
• Corrosion of reinforcement in concrete and brickwork
• Alkali-aggregate reaction.

30/03/2024 35
Sulphate attack

Soluble sulphates present in soil, ground water or clay bricks reacts with tri-calcium
aluminate content of cement and hydraulic lime in the presence of moisture and form
products which occupies much larger volume than the original constituents.

This expansive reaction causes weakening of masonry, concrete and plaster and
formation of cracks.

Movement and cracks due to this reaction in the structures appears after about 2
years or more.

Severity of sulphate attack depends upon

• amount of soluble sulphates present
• permeability of concrete and mortar
• content of tri-calcium-aluminate in the cement used for concrete and mortar
• duration for which the building components remains damp.
30/03/2024 36
The building components, which are, liable to sulphate attack are concrete and masonry in
foundation and plinth, and masonry and plaster in super structure.

Cracking and up-heaving of a tile floor due to sulphate action in base concrete

30/03/2024 37
Carbonation

During hardening of concrete some calcium hydroxide is liberated in the process of

hydration of cement. It provides protective alkaline medium inhabiting galvanic cell
action thus preventing corrosion of steel. In course of time, free hydroxide in concrete
reacts with atmospheric carbon-di-oxide forming calcium carbonate resulting in
shrinkage cracks, since calcium carbonate occupies lesser volume than calcium
hydroxide. This phenomenon known as carbonation, also reduces the alkalinity of
concrete hence its effectiveness as a protective medium for reinforcement.

In good dense concrete carbonation is confined mainly to surface layer and depth of
carbonation normally does not exceed 20 mm in 50 years. In porous concrete it may
reach 100 mm in 50 years. The affect of carbonation is more severe in industrial
locality having higher percentage of carbon-di-oxide in the atmosphere.

30/03/2024 38
Corrosion of reinforcement in concrete

Protective quality of concrete depends upon high alkalinity and relatively high electrical
resistivity of concrete
Extent of protection depends upon the quality of concrete, depth of concrete cover, and
workmanship

When the reinforcement steel gets corroded

-> increases in volume with setting up of internal stress in concrete
-> causes cracks in the line with the direction of reinforcement
-> spalling of concrete
-> dislodging cover of reinforcement from the body of the concrete
-> seriously damaging the structure

30/03/2024 39
 Factors, which contribute to corrosion of reinforcement in concrete are :

• Presence of cracks in concrete

• Permeability of concrete
• Carbonation
• Formation of corrosion (galvanic) cells,
• Electrolysis,
• Alkali - aggregate reaction,
• Use of calcium chloride as accelerator,
• presence of moisture
• Ingress of sea water into porous of concrete
• Presence of soluble sulphates
• Inadequacy of cover to reinforcement
• Impurities in mixing/curing water – Excessive sulphates and chlorides

30/03/2024 40
Alkali aggregate reaction

In ordinary Portland cement sodium oxide and potassium oxide are present to some
extent. These alkalis chemically react, with certain siliceous mineral constituents of
aggregate and causes expansion, cracking and disintegration of concrete. In RCC
member it also causes corrosion of reinforcement.

Cracking due to this reaction is usually of a map pattern, and the reaction being very
slow, it takes nos. of years for cracks to develop.

30/03/2024 41
GENERAL MEASURES FOR PREVENTION OF CRACKS

• Choice of materials
• Specifications for mortar and concrete
• Design of buildings (architectural, structural and foundation)
• Construction techniques and practices, and
• Environment

30/03/2024 42
Choice of materials

Masonry units

• Only well burnt bricks should be used for masonry

• Burnt clay bricks should not be used in masonry for a period of at least 2 weeks in
summer and 3 weeks in winter after unloading from kilns. They should be kept
exposed to atmosphere during this period.
• Use of burnt clay bricks containing excessive quantity of soluble sulphates should be
avoided
• Concrete blocks and sand lime bricks if used as masonry blocks
(i) Should be protected from wetting at site due to rains, and should be lightly wetted
before use.
(ii) The use of strong and rich mortar for laying should be avoided. Mortar used should
have high water retentivity hence composite cement lime mortar are more preferred.
(iii) Curing of masonry should be done sparingly to avoid body of blocks getting wet.
(iv) Before plastering masonry shall be allowed to dry and undergo initial shrinkage.
Excessive wetting of masonry at the time of plastering and curing should be avoided.
30/03/2024 43
Fine Aggregate:
Use of fine aggregate for mortar and concrete which is too fine or contains too much of
clay or silt and is not well graded should be avoided. Percentage of clay and silt in fine
aggregate (uncrushed) should not exceed 3 percent

Coarse Aggregate:
• Coarse aggregate for concrete work should be well graded so as to obtain concrete
of high density.
• Maximum size of coarse aggregate should be largest possible consistent with the job
requirements.
• Coarse aggregate made from lime stone, quartzite, granite, dolomite and basalt are
more desirable.
• Use of brick aggregate containing excessive amount of soluble sulphates for concrete
in base course should be avoided.
• Course aggregate should not contain fines more than 3%.

30/03/2024 44
Cement:

• If use of alkali-reactive aggregate is unavoidable, alkali content of cement should not

exceed 0.6 percent. If low alkali cement is not economically available, use of
pozzolanas should be made to check alkali-aggregate reaction.

• In massive structures, in order to limit heat of hydration, low-heat cement should be

used.

Use of Calcium Chloride in concrete as accelerator should be avoided as far as

possible. If unavoidable, its quantity should be limited to 2 percent of cement content

Gypsum plaster (CaSO4,) should not be used for external work, or internal work in
locations, which are likely to get or remain wet. in the presence of moisture, a harmful
chemical reaction takes place.

30/03/2024 45
 A Summary of Thoughts

Concrete Shrinks but We Have Three Defenses

–Aggregate Volume – Change Shrinking Proportion

–Shrinkage Reducing Admixtures – Change Fluid
–Internal Curing – Change Pore Emptying

a)Protect the fresh concrete from plastic shrinkage cracking

b)Do not specify minimum cement contents that increase unit water content of mixtures.
Keep the concrete sufficiently moist after set to lower early drying shrinkage
c)Minimize thermal cracking due to temperature gradients (i.e. control heat evolution
from concrete mixture & protect from cold temperatures or from the hot sun)

30/03/2024 46
References:

1. Early Volume Change of High Performance Concrete, PhD Thesis (2017), Abdulaziz
Alaskar, University of Toronto
2. Handbook on Cracks in Buildings, CAMTECH/2004/C/CRACKS/1.0, 2004
3. Notes and Handout of R. Doug Hooton, NSERC/ Cement Association of Canada, Senior
Industrial Research Chair in Concrete Durability & Sustainability, 2016

30/03/2024 47