CAUSES AND

PREVENTION OF
GEETHA.T.S
CRACKS IN BUILDING

VIII SEM CIVIL

SIT

WHAT IS A CRACK?
A CRACK IS A COMPLETE OR
INCOMPLETE SEPERATION OF CONCRETE
INTO TWO OR MORE PARTS,PRODUCED BY
BREAKING OR FRACTURING.

CLASSIFICATION OF CRACKS

1. STRUCTURAL CRACK
2.

NON STRUCTURAL CRACK

INVESTIGATION RELATING TO CRACK

WHETHER THE CRACK IS OLD OR NEW
PATTERN OF CRACK
SOIL CONDITION, TYPE OF FOUNDATION
USED,MOVEMENT OF GROUND
OBSERVATION ON THE SIMILAR
STRUCTURE
STUDY OF SPECIFICATION,CONSTRUCTION
METHOD AND CLIMATIC CONDITION

LIMITATION OF CRACK WIDTH

1. FOR MEMBERS IN WATER STORAGE UNITS,
SEWAGE UNITS,CHEMICALLY HAZARDOUS
ATMOSPHERE CRACKS ARE NOT PERMITTED
2. IN SEVERE ATMOSPHERE UP TO 0.1mm CRACK
IS PERMITTED
3. MODERATE ATMOSPHERE UPTO .2mm CRACK
IS PERMITTED
4. IN MILD ATMOSPHERE WIDTH OF CRACK IS
PERMITTED UPT0 0.3mm

PERMISSIBLE CRACK WIDTH AS PER ACI

EXPOSURE
CONDITION

MAXIMUM
ALLOWABLE
CRACK WIDTH IN
MM

DRY AIR,
PROTECTIVE
MEMBRANE

0.41

HUMIDITY,MOIST
AIR

0.30

SEA WATER AND

SEAWATER SPRAY;
WETTING AND
DRYING

0.15

WATER RETAINING
STRUCTURE

0.10

CAUSES FOR THE OCCURANCE OF CRACK

CRACK MAY DEVELOP DUE TO-

1. STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCY RESULTING FROM

DESIGN DEFICIENCY OR CONSTRUCTION
DEFICIENCY AND OVERLOADING

2. TEMPERATURE AND SHRINKAGE EFFECTS

3 SETTLEMENT OF GROUND

4 FAULTY WORKMAN SHIP AND POOR

CONSTRUCTION PRACTICE

1. STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCY RESULTING

FROM DESIGN DEFICIENCY OR
CONSTRUCTION DEFICIENCY AND
OVERLOADING
CRACKS OCCUR DUE TO
SHEAR, FLEXURAL AND TORSIONAL STEEL
DEFICIENCY
ABRUPT CURTAILMENT OF REINFORCEMENT BARS

 OVERLOADING OF MEMBER

CONSTRUCTION JOINT CRACKS`

 OCCURS DUE TO FLEXURAL STEEL DEFICIENCY

OCCURS AT MAXIMUM BENDING MOMENT
REGION

 OCCURS DUE TO SHEAR STEEL DEFICIENCY

OCCURS IN MAXIMUM SHEAR REGION

OCCURS DUE TO IMPROPER ANCHORAGE

OF REINFORCED BARS

DIRECTION OF CONCRETING

PREVENTIVE MEASURES
SPECIAL CARE NEED TO BE TAKEN WHILE
DESIGN AND DETAILING
REQUIRES CONTINUOUS INVESTIGATION
DAMAGES FROM UNINTENTIONAL
CONSTRUCTION OVERLOADS CAN BE
PREVENTED ONLY IF DESIGNER PROVIDE
INFORMATION ON LOAD LIMITATIONS AND THE
CONSTRUCTION PERSONNEL HEED TO THESE
LIMITATIONS
FOLLOW PROPER DESIGN SPECIFICATION

2 SHRINKAGE AND TEMPERATURE EFFECT

SHRINKAGE CRACK
SHOW UP IN TWO BASIC
LOCATION IN MOST WALLS;
APPROXIMATELY MID POINT OF
LONG SECTION WALL,ACROSS
DOOR OR WINDOW HEAD
UNIFORM IN WIDTH

 EXCESSIVE WATER CONTENT WITHIN

THE CONCRETE
HIGHER WATER CONTENT RESULTS IN
GREATER SHRINKAGE

ON EXPOSURE,CONCRETE LOSES
SOME OF ITS ORIGINAL WATER AND
SHRINK

SHRINKAGE CRACK IN WALL MASONRY

PREVENTIVE MEASURES
MINIMISE THE USE OF RICH
CONCRETE MIX
USE LEAN CEMENT MORTAR IN
MASONRY WORKS
ALLOW ADEQUATE TIME FOR CURING

TEMPERATURE EFFECT
VOLUME CHANGES
VOLUME RELATION TO TEMPERATURE
IS EXPRESSED BY COEFFICIENT OF
THERMAL EXPANSION/CONTRACTION
VOLUME CHANGE INDUCES STRESS

PREVENTIVE MEASURE
ADEQUATE INSULATING OR TERRACING
TREATMEMT
PAINTING TOP ROOF WITH REFLECTIVE
FINISH SUCH AS WHITE WASH
INTRODUCING OF EXPANSION AND
CONTRACTION JOINT AT APPROPRIATE
LOCATIONS

CRACK DUE TO SETTLEMENT

UNEVEN SETTLEMENT CAN BE A MAJOR
STRUCTURAL PROBLEM IN SMALL
RESIDENTIAL BUILDING
VERTICAL DISTORTION OR CRACKING OF
MASONRY WALLS, WRAPPED INTERIORS
AND EXTERIOR OPENING
OCCURS EARLY IN LIFE OF BUILDING

SETTLEMENTS ARE CAUSED DUE TO

SOIL CONSOLIDATION UNDER
FOOTING
LOSS OF MOISTURE
WATER TABLE LEVEL
FAULTY DRAINS, LEAKING WATER
MAINS
SOIL COMPACTION OR MOVEMENT DUE
TO VIBRATION

Building settlement due to cut

and fill

DIFFERENTIAL SETTLEMENT CAUSED

DUE TO VARIABLE SOIL TYPE

 CRACKING LIKELY TO OCCUR AT CORNERS

AND ADJACENT TO OPENING. FOLLOWS A
ROUGH DIAGONAL ALONG MORTER JOINTS
MAY EXTEND THROUGH CONTINUOUS
BUILDING ELEMENT SUCH AS FLOOR
SLABS,MASONARY WALS ABOVE THE
FOUNDATION AND INTERIORS
BUILDING CONSTRUCTED ON EXPANSIVE SOIL
ARE LIABLE TO CRACKS
THE STRUCTURE IS SUBJECTED TO SEVERE
STRESS DUE TO ALTERNATE SWELLING AND
SHRINKAGE

PREVENTIVE MEASURES
UNDER REAMED PILE FOUNDATION
FOUNDATION DESIGN FOR UNIFORM
DISTRIBUTION OF PRESSURE
SBC IS NOT EXCEEDED
SOIL SHOULD BE WELL COMPACTED

FAULTY WORKMANSHIP AND POOR

CONSTRUCTION PRACTICE
CAUSES
IMPROPER REINFORCING STEEL PLACE
PLACEMENT
IMPROPER BAR DETAILING
PREMATURE REMOVAL OF FORMS
COLD JOINTS
SEGREGATION
PLASTIC SHRINKAGE CRACKING

PREVENTIVE MEASURE
WATER CEMENT RATIO
PROPER CURING
SUPPORT FOR FORMS
DESIGN RECOMENDATIONS

CASE STUDY OF P.W.D OFFICE BUILDING

YALENDUR

INSPECTED ON 21ST MAY 1988

FOUNDATION SOIL IS A BLACK COTTON SOIL

CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED IN THE YEAR 1981

MEASURING MAGNIFIER

DIGITAL CRACK GAUGE

CRACKSCOPE

LOMARO MICROSCOPE

CAUSES FOR DISTRESS

SWELLING AND SHRINKAGE OF SOIL
IMPROPER DRAINAGE
FILLED UP SOIL
GROWTH OF TREES

SOIL
PROPERTIES

SAMPLE1 SAMPLE2

FIELD
DENSITY(gm/
cc)

1.39

1.54

FIELD WATER
CONTENT
VOIDS RATIO

24.5

18.0

0.76

0.59

94.3
0

90
0

PARTICLE
SIZE
DISTRIBUTIO
N
SILT AND
GRAVEL
CLAY

LIQUID LIMIT
WATER
CONTENT(%)

65.0

65.0

PLASTIC LIMIT
WATER(%)

28.0

28.0

FREE SWELL(%)

120
0.5

100
0.5

3.76
0.49
6

9.04
0.53
6

SWELLING
PRESSURE
U C C STRENGTH
COHESION
ANGLE OF
SHEARING
RESISTANCE

REMEDIAL MEASURES
REMOVE AND FILL WITH FIRM
GOOD SOIL
UNDER REAMED PILE FOUNDATION
APPLY HEAVY SUPER IMPOSED
LOAD
AVOID GROWTH OF TREES IN THE
VICINITY

CONCLUSION
THE INDIVIDUAL CRACKS IN MEMBERS ARE UNIQUE
BY THEMSELVES
THEY ARE VERSATILE DIAGNOSTIC DEVICES, CLEARLY
INDICATING THE SPECIFIC PROBLEM IN CONCERNED
MEMBERS. IN ADDITION THEY ALSO INDICATE THE
DEGREE OF SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROBLEM.
THE CRACK THROW LIGHT ON THE DISCIPLINE IN THE
ASSOCIATED STRUCTURAL DESIGNS AND QUALITY
THE CORRECTIVE MEASURES TO BE IMPLEMENTED
ARE CLEARLY INDICATED BY THESE CRACKS.

REFERENCES
PETER H EMMONS- CONCRETE REPAIR AND
MAINTAINENCE
`
P.C VARGHESE- LIMIT STATE DESIGN OF
REINFORCED CONCRETE
H.P ROSSMANITH- FRACTURE AND DAMAGE OF
CONCRETE
M.S.SHETTY- CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY