Troubleshooting concrete cracking during construction

By Grant T. Halvorsen

Taking precautions on the job can help you avoid cracks in plastic and hardened concrete

ts a common notion that all concrete cracks. It has been said on countless jobsites, often followed by How did that happen? Concrete has a natural tendency to crack because its usually relatively weak in tension. When tension resulting from applied loads, restrained shrinkage, or temperature drops exceeds the strength of the concrete, a crack forms. Concrete can crack while plastic (before it sets and hardens) and after hardening. Cracking can be controlled during construction, however, by using quality materials, following proper construction practices, and using reinforcement and jointing. Described here are some common types of cracks found in slabs on grade and other concrete structures. Typical causes of these cracks and ways to minimize cracking also are discussed.

crete shrink more. Excessive bleeding. Bringing too much water and paste to the surface by overtroweling. Rapid drying of the surface due to improper curing. Crazing can be minimized by reducing the amount and rate of shrinkage at the concrete surface. Take these precautions: Avoid wet mixes. Limit bleeding by increasing the sand or air content. Limit troweling and dont trowel too early. Use a broom finish where practical. Begin curing the concrete surface as soon as possible. Plastic shrinkage cracking. These cracks occur before concrete sets and are caused by water at the concrete surface evaporating too rapidly. In slabs on grade, the cracks often are parallel and fairly wide at the exposed surface, but they are shallow and dont extend to the slab edge. Crack spacing and length can vary greatly. Plastic shrinkage cracking is

Figure 1. If joint cutting is delayed too long, concrete shrinkage can cause a crack to form and jump ahead of the saw. more likely when concreting under conditions of: Low humidity High wind speeds High concrete temperatures High to moderate air temperatures Using mixes that have bleeding characteristics unfamiliar to workers also can lead to plastic shrinkage cracking. Trial placements and supervision by a suppliers representative can be useful in training workers to finish silica-fume concrete. To control plastic shrinkage cracks, reduce the rate at which surface moisture evaporates and prevent excessive bleeding. Some specific mea-

Slabs on grade Typical cracking of slabs on grade during construction includes surface crazing, plastic shrinkage or settlement cracking, uncontrolled effects of early volume changes, subgrade settlement, and premature loading. Surface crazing. Crazing is due to shrinkage of the cement paste at exposed concrete surfaces. The surface probably is sound, but may be unsightly. Crazing is especially noticeable when the slab is damp. Typical causes are: A too-wet concrete mix. Adding excess water to the mix can reduce concrete strength and make con-

sures include: Erecting windbreaks or scheduling flatwork after walls have been constructed. Avoiding wet mixes. Dampening the subgrade before concreting. Starting curing as soon as possible. Apply a fog spray to the surface or use a curing compound to reduce the amount of surface evaporation. Avoiding the use of a vapor barrier, unless required for floor treatments or other reasons. Evaluating the use of synthetic fibers. Watch for the appearance of plastic shrinkage cracks when working in hot, dry, or windy conditions. If the cracks appear, its possible to close them by tamping or beating with a float. Also, revise construction methods to avoid the cracking. Concrete also can crack or tear if it moves or settles while still plastic. Watch out for this problem when placing concrete on a slope, and plan ahead to use a stiff mix. Early volume changes. In most cases, concrete occupies its largest volume when it has set and begins to harden. As excess water evaporates from exposed surfaces and the concrete begins to cool, the volume decreases, or shrinks. Restrained shrinkage develops tension in the concrete and can cause cracking. These cracks may be random or fairly regular in spacing, and usually pass completely through the slab. The cracks may appear to wander back and forth across joints, or jump ahead of a sawcut (Figure 1). Though this cracking cant always be prevented, it can usually be controlled by careful jointing or reinforcement. Traditional tooled or sawcut joints should be at least 14 of the slab thickness. Timing of joint sawing is very important. Concrete has to harden enough so that aggregate isnt dislodged by the saw blade and a good cutting edge remains. But it shouldnt shrink to the point that uncontrolled cracking has already started. Unfortunately,

on typical pours the best time for sawing often falls in the middle of the night or on weekends or holidays. For example, workers were seen sawcutting joints on Thanksgiving Day during the reconstruction of the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) near Chicago. Have adequate labor and equip-

cracking is acceptable, a wider joint spacing and fewer joints may be preferable. In most cases, contraction joints are located along column lines, sometimes with intermediate joints. Slab panels usually are square or rectangular, with longer sides not more than 50% greater than the shorter sides.

Figure 2. Failure to isolate the downspout from the concrete slab caused restraint, and cracks resulted from concrete shrinkage and subgrade settlement. Also, isolation joint material should have been placed between the slab and existing construction (the house wall). ment to effectively cut joints. Be careful to monitor joint depth when cutting with consumable abrasive blades. If the joint depth becomes too shallow, cracking is likely to occur outside the joint. Equipment for sawing joints in concrete soon after finishing is available. It allows workers to cut joints to a shallower depth than traditionally recommended. Joint layout and spacing is not an exact science. Locate contraction joints as indicated by project specifications, or work with the owner to plan a joint layout and spacing appropriate for the structure. Repairing floor cracks can be costly, but the cost of constructing and maintaining joints also can be significant. Installing closely spaced joints to help ensure a crack-free floor is not always cost-effective for the owner. Consider environment and traffic when planning joints. Where minor For unreinforced slabs, recommended joint spacing is 24 to 36 times the slab thickness. The wider joint spacings within this range are feasible for mixes with reduced shrinkage, such as low-slump concretes and concretes with large maximum aggregate sizes. Where large joint spacings are needed, weldedwire fabric can be used to control the widths and spacing of cracks that occur due to long-term drying shrinkage. But this secondary reinforcement does not make the slab stronger. Post-tensioning of the slab also can help control cracking. See Reference 1 for more details about reinforcing slabs on grade. Subgrade settlement. If the subgrade has not been compacted well, it may settle from the weight of the concrete slab. If parts of the slab settle at different rates, or if settlement is prevented at one or more locations, the slab will bend. This can

cause cracking, especially if the concrete hasnt gained much strength. Premature loading. The result of premature loading of a slab on grade is sometimes a punch-through at the edge of the slab by a heavy vehicle. For projects with plans and specifications, the age at first loading may be indicated. Otherwise, curing periods of four to seven days, followed by one or two days of drying, often are recommended before exposing slabs to more than foot traffic. Other sources of restraint. If new concrete is restrained by existing construction, volume changes such as those caused by shrinkage and drops in temperature can result in undesirable cracking. For example: A lightly reinforced slab tied with deformed bars into an existing wall can crack along the tips of the deformed bars. Where possible, isolate the slab and wall with preformed joint filler. If continuity is required for structural reasons,

heavier slab reinforcement may be necessary. A slab placed against an existing wall or slab and connected by dowel bars can crack parallel to the dowels. Square dowels with padded sides, or continuous slip plates instead of dowels, can be used when load transfer is needed. Rigid pipes, columns, or similar items that penetrate a slab restrain the slab and often initiate a significant crack (Figure 2). Where possible, isolate the slab and the penetration; otherwise, add reinforcement to control cracking. Other construction Concrete beams, walls, columns, and structural slabs also gain strength and change in volume over time. Some cracking usually occurs when expected loads are applied. Cracking of these members during construction can be caused by many

of the same factors that influence cracking of slabs on grade. Additional sources of cracking are due to the nature of formed or shored construction and the presence of heavier amounts of reinforcement. Extensive or severe cracking during construction may indicate a deficiency best evaluated by a specialist. Settlement of concrete. After concrete is placed, aggregates tend to settle and water tends to rise. In flatwork this is recognized as bleeding. Finishers are cautioned not to work concrete when bleed water is present, and plastic shrinkage can occur as described earlier. Plastic shrinkage also can occur at the tops of walls and beams, and on elevated slabs. When reinforcing bars or other embedments are cast in the concrete, the concrete settles, or subsides, from beneath the bar. The amount of settlement depends on the concrete properties and the depth of concrete below the bar. Structural designers know this phenomenon as the top

Cracks That Can Occur During Construction (Adapted from Ref. 2) Crazing can occur at finished surfaces (1) that are overtroweled or dusted with cement to speed finishing, and at surfaces formed with impermeable materials (2). Cracks caused by restrained early thermal contraction (3) can occur in thick members when too much heat is generated or when the temperature change between the inside and face of the member is too high. Plasticshrinkagecracks occur d u et or a p i de a r l yd r y i n go ft h ec o nc re t es u r f a c ea n dl o wr a t e so fb l e e di n g .T h e s ec r a c k sc a na p p e a ri ne l evatedslabs (4), slabsongrade (5), andover reinforcement (6). Plastic settlement cracks can occur over (7) or at the side (8) of reinforcement or other embedments (including formed openings or form ties), and at changes in cross section thickness (9). Plastic settlement is caused by excess bleeding, and made worse by rapid early drying. Cracks due to ineffective contraction joints can jump ahead of

the saw (10) if the joint is cut too late. If the cut is too shallow cracks may not occur within the joint (11).

Contraction joints are less effective in crack control when reinforcement continues through the joint (12).

bar effect. A void or water pocket can develop beneath the bar, and a crack or tear can develop directly over the bar, making it possible to read the reinforcement as a pattern of cracks (Figure 3). Longitudinal cracks like these can increase the possibility of later rebar corrosion. Similar cracks can occur in sides of walls and columns and at abrupt changes in concrete thickness, like those found in pan-joist or waffle-slab construction. The tendency for settlement cracking increases with concrete slump and bar size, and decreases with greater cover. Flexible forms and insufficient vibration also increase the likelihood of cracking due to concrete settlement. To reduce settlement cracking, plan for proper form design and sufficient vibration or revibration, use the lowest possible slump, and increase concrete cover. Subgrade or formwork settlement. Elevated construction requires sound, stable support. Settlement of supports after concrete is placed and hardened can cause excessive cracking when concrete is exposed to the expected design loads. Removal of formwork or shoring before concrete has reached sufficient strength can lead to excessive cracking, increased deflections in service, and even structural failure. Early volume changes. Continuity is a major benefit of cast-in-place concrete construction. Because of continuity, structures often can resist unexpected loads. However, because the structure is tied together, forces can develop from the effects of shrinkage, temperature changes, and other factors, such as post-tensioning. Some cracking is acceptable, but cracking can be excessive if these forces werent considered in design. Proper construction practices can help control this cracking: use a concrete with low shrinkage characteristics, dont add excessive water in the field, cure properly, and provide required joints and reinforcement. Construction overloads. Many structures have their heaviest loads applied during construction, when they are weakest. Reasonable con-

struction loads are considered in engineered construction and by designers of formwork or shoring systems. Acceptable construction loads can vary depending on the materials and type of structure, age and strength of the concrete, and the construction methods used. Examine the structure for signs of Figure 3. Settlement cracks can form in plastic concrete cracking and seek guidance from the over reinforcing bars with low cover. designer before applying an unanticipated load to the structure. Errors in design and detailing. Significant errors in design or detailing can result in wide or unusual cracking. If this happens on a job, document the condition and bring it to the attention of the engineer, architect, or owners representative. Other problems with design and detailing may be less severe, but still lead to excessive cracking. Reinforcement placed at splices, corners, openings, and supports should be checked carefully before concrete is placed. Poorly detailed or misplaced reinforcement at corners is common. Also, cracking can be expected where large amounts of reinforcement end at the same location.
References 1. Boyd C. Ringo and Robert B. Anderson, Designing Floor Slabs on Grade, The Aberdeen Group, Addison, Ill., 1992. 2. Non-structural Cracks in Concrete, Technical Report No. 22, The Concrete Society (London), 1982. 3. Causes, Evaluation and Repair of Cracks in Concrete Structures, ACI 224.1R-90, American Concrete Institute, Detroit, 1990.

PUBLICATION #C930700
Copyright 1993, The Aberdeen Group All rights reserved