Cracks

Building components develops cracks whenever stress in the components

exceeds its strength. Stress in the building components could be caused by
externally applied forces such as dead, live, wind, seismic loads or
foundation settlement or could it be induced by internally due to temperature
variations, moisture changes and chemical actions. Cracks affect the
building’s artistic look and it destroys the wall integrity, affects the safety of
structure and even reduces the durability of structure.
PRINCIPLES OF INVESTIGATION OF CRACKS
 Step 1: Discussion with Client/Owner of the Building
5 When was the building constructed? Date and year of
construction?
5 Ask for building drawings? And the details of constructions if
available.
5 Ask them when the cracks first appeared? Or how long was the
cracks seen?
5 Check whether the client makes complaints about pieces of
concrete falling, excessive deflections, large cracks, staining, and water
leakages?
5 Ask them whether any repair work was carried out if yes, what
was the result?

 Step 2: Visit the Site

1. When you visit the site, always carry proposed building drawings. Check
whether the building is constructed as per the plan.
2. Check its present use of the structure or any change in the usage of
building.
3. Photograph the cracks and number them.
4. Mark the width of crack.
5. Check for any tilting of walls or tilting of any structural members,
deflections, staining, water leakage, and corrosion.
6. Collect the samples from the site.

 Step 3: Understand the Cracks and Its Causes

1. Find the type of crack -Is it alive or dead crack.

2. Find the causes of cracks : Is it permeability of concrete, corrosion of
reinforcement, moisture variation, temperature variation, poor
construction practices, poor structural design and specifications, elastic
deformation, creep, chemical reaction, foundation movement &
settlement of soil ,growth of vegetation, additional alternation of
structures.

 Step 4: Monitoring and Measuring the Movements of

Cracks

 Step 5: Finding the Suitable Techniques to Repair Crack

1. Epoxy Injection.
2. Grouting and Sealing.
3. Stitching.
4. Drilling and Plugging.
5. Gravity Filling.
6. Drying Packing.
7. Polymer Impregnation and Underpinning.

CRACKS CAN BE DIVIDED INTO 2 GROUPS

 Non-structural cracks: these cracks are caused by changes in the
moisture content, thermal movement, creep, vegetation/trees, shifting
or moving foundations, settlement, and hydrostatic pressure.
  Structural cracks: Structural cracks are due to poor construction
sites, swollen soil, poor soil bearing or overloading. These cracks are
usually accompanied by other signs of foundation issues such as
sticking doors and windows, slanted doors, sloping floors and cracks
in porches. Structural cracks endanger the stability of the building and
may be difficult to be rectified.

PRINCIPLE CAUSES OF CRACKS:

1.  Moisture movement:

Most building materials such as concrete, bricks, mortar, stones, wood,
etc. expand and shrink as moisture enters. This movement is reversible. 
When the cement based product dries, the absorbed water is first removed, thus
reducing the size and shrinking of concrete.
When concrete is still in its plastic state (before hardening), it is full of water.
When that water eventually leaves the slab, it leaves behind large voids between
the solid particles. These empty spaces make the concrete weaker and more prone
to cracking. This type of cracking happens frequently and is referred to as “plastic
shrinkage cracking”.

2. Thermal Movement:
Most materials expand when they are heated, and contract when they are cooled. In
cold climates where the ground freezes a foundation may be subject to damage if
the frost / freezing gets below the depth of the foundation or basement walls.
Heat causes concrete to expand. When concrete expands, it pushes against
anything in its way (a brick wall or adjacent slab for example). When neither has
the ability to flex, the expanding force can be enough to cause concrete to crack.

3. Elastic deformation:
Elastic deformation occur when building elements like slabs, beams, columns
which are made of masonry, concrete, steel etc. are stressed. And elastic
deformation causes cracks in concrete.
When the load on the walls is not evenly distributed, different stresses are
produced in different parts and cracks appear. 
When the span of a beam or slab is long and the load at the end is low, deflection
causes cracks in the support walls. 

4. Creep:
A constant load coming on building materials such as concrete, brick masonry,
wood, etc., causes elastic deformation and long-term slow deformation in a
building.  This long-term slow deformation is called creep. 
Creep depend on the amount of water and cement in the concrete, water-cement
ratio, temperature, humidity, age of the concrete, etc. Creep causes deformation in
building. Due to that cracks occur in the concrete. 

5. Expansive soils:
In soils with a clay content, especially a high clay content, heaving or lifting
pressures of the soils may crack the foundation.

6. Foundation movement and settlement of soil:

When the bearing capacity of soil is varying for different parts of building or soil
bearing capacity is less than the load coming from the foundation. At that situation
settlement of soil occurs due to excessive load. It is causes cracks in a building
and sometimes it is also responsible for the failure of the foundation.
Settling cracks typically occur in situations where a void is created in the ground
below the concrete surface. Think about when a large tree is removed from nearby
and the roots begin to decompose or when a utility company digs a trench for their
lines, pipes, etc. and don’t compact the soil when they refill it–these are examples
of instances where settling cracks are likely to happen.

7. Vegetation:
Development of vegetation such as crops, plants, small trees, roots of trees, etc.
below the foundation, near the wall, and compound wall causes cracks in building
elements.

8. Second story added 

If a home has a second story added and the original footings were not designed for
a two story building or strengthen for the added weight, then cracks may appear.
9. Poor soil compaction:
If the soil was not properly compacted before digging the footings, then the
foundation may drop down a little and crack. The soils basically fail to support the
weight of the foundation and house.

10.Heaving:
When the ground freezes, it can sometimes lift many inches before thawing and
settling back down. This ground movement brought on by the freezing and thawing
cycle is a huge factor contributing to concrete cracking. If the slab is not free to
move with the ground, the slab will crack.
Large tree roots can have the same effect on a slab. If a tree is located too close to
a slab, the growing roots can lift and crack the concrete surface. Always consider
this when laying a slab.

Diagnosing Cracks in Your Foundation

Cracks in your foundation come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. It is not
unusual for foundation cracks to form within the first year of new construction,
often near windows, corners of the walls or floors or in the longer sections of your
foundation. Most are due to foundation settling and are usually not a cause for
concern. If cracks become bigger or allow water to seep through, call an expert
right away or fill out the form to the right before the damage becomes worse.

Is This Foundation Crack Normal or Dangerous?

The direction of the crack should also be noted as this is significant.

1. Horizontal Cracks:
They are caused by hydrostatic (water) pressure from the outside of the walls and
can lead to a failure in the foundation. The soil around your home expands when it
becomes wet. Therefore, the soil pushes against your walls causing it to crack or
push inward. In this case, you will often see a horizontal foundation crack.
Additional pressure due to heavy rains or flooding can create serious horizontal
cracks that need to be repaired as soon as possible
 2. Step Cracks:
A stair-step crack can be a result of a bowing wall or settling foundation. This can
occur because of soil pressure pressing against your foundation or unstable soil
beneath it.

3. Vertical Cracks:
These can be the result of a few different factors including: Foundation settlement
or tilted poured walls. The surrounding soil can’t support the weight of your home.

4. Diagonal Cracks:
Cracks of this type are a sign of differential settlement (horizontal and vertical
tension), which can cause serious structural problems in the home. They occur
when sections of your home settle faster than others. Diagonal cracks are common
phenomena is homes built on a hill or homes with rapidly deteriorating soil
conditions because of drought or heavy rainfall.

WALL CRACKS
Wall cracks can appear in the interior or exterior walls of your home. If you see
cracks in your drywall, they might be just a normal sign of aging. However, they
can also indicate foundation failure. Deep cracks and cracks that appear near
windows or doors or extend onto the ceiling might be signs of foundation failure.
In exterior walls, watch for horizontal cracks or deep stair-step shaped cracks in
brick or masonry. Cracks in basement walls are often a sign of foundation failure
as well.

CEILING CRACKS
Are there cracks in your ceiling? Once again, these might not always indicate a
major foundation problem. Sometimes, cracks in the ceiling are simply a sign that
your home is aging. However, if the cracks are long and deep or if they extend
down onto the walls below, they might be a sign of foundation failure. Examine
the cracks in your ceiling and note if there are any wider than 1/16 of an inch or
whether there are any located near the corners of the room or near doors and
windows.

FOUNDATION CRACKS
Some fine cracks in concrete are usually nothing to be concerned about, but any
significant foundation cracks are bad news. Cracks in your foundation are usually
caused by shifting or settling soils under the structure. As soils move, they fail to
provide support for the building, causing the foundation to crack under the
pressure. Look for horizontal cracks, stair-step shaped cracks, and cracks near
windows or doors. 

CONCRETE SLAB CRACKS

If you have a concrete slab foundation, it is prone to cracking under certain
conditions – shifting soil, erosion, sinkhole formation, soil settlement, etc. Other
concrete slabs, such as your pool deck or patio, are also likely to develop cracks as
the soil beneath them shifts or if moisture content in the soils changes too much.
We offer repairs to close these cracks by underpinning the foundation with
foundation piers or injecting polyurethane grout under the slab to lift it.