T.

Dhinesh
RA1611201010079
5th YEAR C SECTION
Deformation or deterioration occurs in concrete due to uneven loads, temperature change or
freezing and thawing. Cracking of concrete occurs due to several reasons like due to
constructional movement, shrinkage, etc. After hardening, cracks occur due to chemical
reactions, thermal changes etc.

The main reasons of concrete cracks are as below.

• Excess water in water-concrete mixture: When an excess of water is added to the concrete
increasing its w/c ratio, the strength of concrete also will reduce. During summer,
evaporation of excess water takes place which causes shrinkage. Due to this shrinkage,
cracking in concrete take place.

• Rapid drying of concrete: The correct amount of water is required to be added in the mixture
to complete the chemical reaction or hydration. If the concrete dries before completion of the
reaction, it causes cracking.

• Concrete with improper strength poured in job: Different concrete will have different
strength. If the concrete mix with required strength is not created during the job, it can
cause cracking.

• Lack of control joints: Lack of control joint or control joint with wrong dimension of
thickness causes cracking.

• Freezing and thawing: When the excess amount of water freezes in winter, the volume
expands and cracking occurs.
Concrete cracks due to one reason and one reason only; when
its inherent tensile strength is exceeded by the net tensile
stresses induced within its matrix.
There are several reasons why tensile stresses are induced in
concrete and therefore to minimize the incidence of cracking in
concrete it is important that the fundamental cause(s) of
cracking are clearly understood.

This requires knowledge of several factors including:

1) the environmental exposure conditions during and after
construction,
2) the characteristics of the concrete mixture
3) structural loads. Cracking can occur while concrete is
still in the plastic state or, as is typical, in the hardened
state.