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INVESTIGATION OF CRACKS IN BUILDINGS

Conference Paper · March 2016

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 INVESTIGATION OF CRACKS IN BUILDINGS

R.Arvind,M.E (Structural Engineering)

First Year, St.Peter College Of Engineering And Techonology
Email: arvindrajabather@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Building cracks are most common problem found in any type of building. We all love to have a
house which structurally safe and beautiful but it is not so easy, one has to overcome natural
calamity, soil failure, construction faults, improper design, and inadquate joints causings to
develop cracks on the building.Though the cracks in concrete cannot be prevented entirely but they
can be controlled by using adequate material and technique of construction and specific design
criteria.On timely identification of such cracks and adopting preventive measure are essential.
Active cracks causes seriously problem and they need special attention as they are structurally
hazardous. So, it is important to understand the types of cracks,crack patterns and their causes and
the preventive measures to be taken to control the cracks.

INTRODUCTION

Cracks in the building is a universal problem faced throughout the world. 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[1].Cracks affects the building's artistic look and it destroys the wall
integrity, affects the safety of structure and even reduces the durability of structure[2].

PRINCIPLES OF INVESTIGATION OF CRACKS

STEP 1 : Discussion With Client/Owner Of The Building

One of the simplest and most important thing is to discuss with client or owner about the cracks on
the building and gathering information from them. Ask them:
i. When was the building constructed ? Date and year of construction?
ii. Ask for building drawings ? And the details of constructions if avaliable.
iii. Ask them when the cracks first appeared? Or how long was the cracks seen ?
iv. Check whether the client makes complaints about pieces of concrete falling, excessive
deflections,large cracks, staining, water leakages?
v. Ask them whether any repair work was carried out if yes, what was the result?
STEP 2 : Visit The Site
i. When you visit the site, always carry proposed building drawings. Check whether the
building is constructed as per the plan.
ii. Check its present use of the structure or any change in the usage of building.
iii. Photograph the cracks and number them
iv. Mark the width of crack
v. Check for any tilting of walls or tilting of any structural members, deflections, staining,
water leakage, spalling, and corrosion.
vi. Collect the samples from the site.
STEP 3 : Understand The Cracks And Its Causes
i. Find the type of crack -Is it live or dead crack.
i. 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
i. Using tell-tale
ii. Crack width gauge
iii. Precision calipers
STEP 5: Finding The Suitable techniques To Repair Crack
i. Epoxy injection
ii. Routing and sealing
iii. Stitching
iv. drilling and plugging
v. gravity filling
vi. drying packing
vii. polymer impregnation and underpinning
STEP 6 : Formation Of Report

UNDERSTANDING THE CRACKS

Generally cracks can be divided into two types : Structural cracks and Non-structural cracks.
(a) Structural Cracks : Structural cracks may rise due to various reasons such as incorrect
design, overloading of the structural components. Structural cracks endanger the stability of
the building and may be diffcult to be rectified[3].
Table No.1 Structural Cracks Formed On Beam, Column,Slab
BEAMS COLUMNS SLABS
Flexure Cracks Horizontal Crack Flexure Cracks
Shear Cracks Diagonal Crack Shrinkage Cracks
Torsional Cracks Corrosion Crack Corrosion Crack
Corrosion Crack
Combination of above
cracks

Fig No.1 Cracks On Beam

(b) Non-structural cracks(Hair cracks):

Non-structural cracks are generally due to internal forces developed in the building
materials due to moisture variation,temperture changes and suitable remedial measures can be taken
to control it.
Cracks may appreciably vary in width from very thin hair crack barely visible to naked eye to
gaping crack. Depending upon the crack width , the cracks are classified as :
➢ Thin Crack -less than 1 mm in width.
 ➢ Medium Crack -1 to 2 mm in width.
➢ Wide Crack -more than 2 mm in width.
➢ Crazing -Occurrence of closely spaced fine cracks at the surface of a material is called
crazing.Crazing is the development of a network of fine random cracks on the surface of
concrete or mortar caused by shrinkage of the surface layer.

Thin Crack Medium Crack

Wide Crack
Fig No. 2 Images Of Crack Width

CASE STUDIES

A) Cracks On Walls

Fig No.3 Different Types Of Cracks on wlalls

Step cracks, stairstep cracks or stepping cracks all refer to cracks that follow the mortar joints in a
block wall. The cracks step up or down along the mortar. In many cases, this type of crack is caused
by minor movement of the footing, shrinkage or wall movement, and by itself is not a major cause
for concern; however, wide cracks or step cracks combined with other cracks and movement
indicate a problem.
Foundation Movement and Settlement of Soil
Shear cracks in buildings occur when there is large differential settlement of foundation and it may
be either due to the following reasons:
1.Unequal bearing pressure under different parts of the structure
2.Bearing pressure on soil being in excess of safe bearing strength of the soil
3.Low factor of safety in the design of foundation
4.Local variation in the nature of supporting soil
Preventative Measure:
The design of foundation should be based on sound engineering principles and good practice[4].

Fig No. 4 Cracks Due To Weak Foundation

B) Cracks On Beams And Columns

This type of failure occurs when a material strains under stress. When two materials (having
different elastic properties) built together under the effect of load then different shear stresses in
these materials create cracks at the junction. Dead and live loads are the main cause of elastic
deformation in any structural components of a building.
Preventive Measures: Create slip joints under the support of concrete slab on walls. Provide
horizontal movement joints between the top of brick panel and reinforced cement concrete
beam/slab.

CAUSES AND ITS PREVENTIVE MEASURES :

A) Thermal Movement:
Most materials expand when they are heated, and contract when they are cooled. The
expansion and contraction with changes in temperature occur regardless of the structure’s
cross-sectional area. It is one of the most potent causes of cracking in buildings which need
attention.
Preventive Measures: Joints should be constructed like construction joints, expansion joints,
control joints and slip joints. The joints should be planned at the time of design and be
constructed carefully.

B) Chemical Reaction:
Chemical reactions may occur due to the materials used to make the concrete or materials
that come into contact with the concrete after it has hardened. Concrete may crack with time
 as the result of slowly developing expansive reactions between aggregate containing active
silica and alkalis derived from cement hydration, admixtures or external sources
Preventive Measures:If sulphate content in soil exceeds 0.2 percent or in ground water
exceed 300 ppm, use very dense concrete and either increase richness of mix to 1:1/5:3 and
to prevent cracking due to corrosion in reinforcement it is desirable to specify concrete of
richer mix for thin sections in exposed locations.

C) Shrinkage:
Most of the building materials expand when they absorb moisture from atmosphere and
shrink when they are dry. Shrinkage can be of plastic or dry. The factors causing shrinkage
in cement concrete and cement mortar and their preventions are as following.
1) Excessive Water: The quantity of water used in the mortar mix can cause shrinkage.
Vibrated concrete has less quantity of water and lesser shrinkage than manually compacted
concrete.
Preventive Measures: Use minimum quantity of water required for mixing cement concrete
or cements mortar according to water cement ratio. Cement concrete is never allowed to
work without mechanical mix and vibrator [8].

D) Quantity of Cement:As a general rule, the richer the mix is, the greater the
shrinkage/drying will be.
Preventive Measures: Do not use excessive cement in the mortar mix.

E) Earthquake
Crack may occur due to sudden shift in lower layer of the earth. The voids in the earth might
have suddenly collapsed and be filled with soil from the above. Many geological events can
trigger earth movements but is continuous movement.
Preventive Measures:
Construct the foundation of buildings on firm ground while doing construction. Tie up the
building with connecting beams at foundation level, door level and roof level.

F) Vegetation:
Fast growing trees in the area around the walls can sometimes cause cracks in walls due to
expansive action of roots growing under the foundation.The cracks occur in clay soil due to
moisture contained by roots.

Fig No.5 Cracking Due To Tree Growing Near House

Preventive Measure:
Do not grow trees too close to the building. Remove any saplings of trees as soon as
possible if they start growing in or near of walls [7].

G) Poor Construction practices

There is a general lack of good construction practices either due to ignorance, carelessness,
greed or negligence.For a healthy building it is absolutely necessary for the construction
agency and the owner to ensure good quality materials selection and good construction
 practices.
Preventive Measure:
Proper monitoring and use of good quality of materials is required at the time of
construction[2] .

H) Corrosion Cracks
Under normal conditions, the pH level of concrete is high (above 12.5). The high pH
ofconcrete allows an inactive layer of ferric oxide to form around the reinforcement,
preventing rust [4].There are two major causes of corrosion in the reinforcing steel: chloride
penetration and carbonation. Chloride penetration reduces the pH level of the concrete when
oxygen, chlorides, and moisture all penetrate the concrete [5]. Chlorides can be found in
potable water, which should never be used to mix concrete. Carbonation occurs when carbon
dioxide and moisture infiltrate the concrete, reducing the pH level of the concrete..Both
causes of corrosion end similarly. The pH level is the concrete’s last barrier against
corrosion, so the reinforcement begins to rust. Rust expands the steel to 10 times the
volume, which can cause major problems in the structure[5].

Fig No. 6 Carbonation And Chloride - Causing Cracks

Preventive measure: Use adquate covers as per IS 456-2000. Dont use salt water in mixing
concrete.

MONITORING AND MEASURING THE MOVEMENTS OF CRACKS

At any stage, crack width can be measured, sometimes it is necessary to find out whether cracks
live or dead , whether they increase with respect to time or not.
Glass Tell-Tales: A commonly used method of doing so is to fix tell-tales consisting of strips of
glass about 2 to 3 cm in width an 10 to 12cm in length across a crack with some quick setting,
mortar or adhesive[1].

Fig No. 7 Glass Tell Tale Observing And Measuring The Movement Of Cracks
If the crack widens, the tell-tale will crack. In case the crack closes instead of widening out, the
glass strip will either get disjointed at one end or will crack by buckling. When it is thought
necessary to observe the rate of widening of a crack and to measure the extent of widening in
relation to time, instead of one glass strip, two glass strips are used side by side fixing them to the
background only on one side at opposite ends. A line is drawn across the two glass strips after
fixing, and as and when any widening or narrowing of the crack takes place, lines on the two strips
move relatively to each other and distance between them at any time could be which would
indicate the extent of movement up to the time of making the observation.

Fig No.8 Crack Monitors: Precision Caliper And Tell Tale

Cracks commonly occur in corners at the junction of walls. Use the type of gauge that is hinged.
Most corners are not built precisely to 90 degrees and this type will fit snugly into a corner of any
angle, even a bay window corner of 45 degrees. If the gauges are used in pairs and“handed”
movement in three dimensions can be monitored [7].

fig no.9 Monitoring cracks in corners

Cracks Plotting
The characteristics of each crack are plotted onto a drawing or sketch of the building. The
characteristics to be recorded are width,direction,taper,frequency and location. If it is possible it will
be useful to differentiate between cracks caused by tension, compression and shear stress. A crack
on the opposite side of the wall can be shown as a broken line. Standing back from the building and
plotting the cracks can help with identifying the overall pattern of movement. The arrows indicate
increase in widths of cracks [9].

Fig No.10 Plot The Cracks On the Drawings And Note The Crack Widths In MM.
TECHNIQUES TO REPAIR CRACK

A) Epoxy Injection
Epoxy injection is an economical method of repairing non-moving cracks in concrete walls,
slabs, columns and piers a sit is capable of restoring the concrete to its pre-cracked strength.
The technique generally consists of establishing entry and venting ports at close intervals
along the cracks, sealing the crack on exposed surfaces, and injecting the epoxy under
pressure.

Fig No.11 Procedure For Applying Epoxy

B) Gravity Filling
Low viscosity monomers and resins can be used to seal cracks with surface widths of 0.001
to 0.08 in.by gravity filling. High molecular weight methacrylates, urethanes, and some low
viscosity epoxies have been used successfully.

C) Routing And Sealing

In this method,the crack is made wider at the surface with a saw or grinder, and then the
groove is filled with a flexible sealant. This is a common technique for crack treatment and
it is relatively simple in comparison to the procedures and the training required for epoxy
injection.

Fig no.12 Procedure For Routing And Sealing

 Initially clean the surface, the surface should be free from paint, dirt, oil, efflorescence or
any bond inhibiting agents. then apply epoxy . To prevent epoxy flowing out insert foam
breaker or rod of suitable diameter and sealent is applied to it.

D) Stitching
This method is done to provide a permanent structural repairs solution for masonry repairs
and cracked wall reinforcement.Itis done by drilling holes on both sides of the crack,
cleaning the holes and anchoring the legs of the staples in the holes with a non-shrink grout

E) Dry Packing
Itis the hand placement of a low water content mortar followed by tamping or ramming of
the mortar into place and also helps in producing intimate contact between the mortar and
the existing concrete.

F) Polymer Impregnation
Monomer systems can be used for effective repair of some cracks. A monomer system is a
liquid consisting of monomers which will polymerize into a solid.The most common
monomer used for this purpose is methyl methacrylate.

G) Underpinning
This is the best solution whereby the footings of the building are underpinned with either
concrete, masonry or piles to carry the load of the building down to a more stable stratum
(eg rock or soils below the reactive zone).This solution is usually the most costly,
particularly if there are access difficulties or if internal walls require underpinning, which
may require lifting internal floors.

Conclusion :
This paper can be divided into five parts. First part comprises of basic introduction about cracks ,
second part contains the case study and the visual identification of cracks. Third part contains
Causes with preventive measures and fourth part contains monitoring and measuring the
movements of cracks and finally five part contains techniques to cure crack.The potential causes of
crack can be controlled if proper consideration is given to construction material and technique to be
used.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT :
I thank my Lord Jesus Christ who gave his wisdom and knowledge to prepare this paper. I also
thank my parents and friends for encouraging me prepare this paper.

REFERENCES
1. SP- 25:1984 - “ Handbook On Causes And Prevention Of Cracks In Buildings”.
2. Pooja Nama, Ankush Jain, Rajat Srivastavaand Yash Bhatia Int. Journal of Engineering
Research and Applications , Vol. 5, Issue 5, ( Part -2) May2015, pp.119-12.
3. Dr.S.Seethraman and Er.M.Chinnasamy a book on “repair and rehabilitation of structures”
4. Grishma Thagunna “proceedings of the 3rdWorld Conference on Applied Sciences,”
Engineering and Technology 27- 29 September 2014, Kathmandu, Nepal, pp130-13.
5. Khan, Mohammad S., et al (2006). Control of Cracking in Concrete. Transportation
Research Circular, Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C. P. 1-16
6. Pirro, R. (2012). "Concrete Evaluation and Repair Techniques." Professional lecture, Sept.
2012.
7. Roger W. Johnson Ceng. Fistructe. Fice. Mrics “The Signifigance Of Cracks In Low-Rise
Buildings.”
 8. Indian railways a book on , “ Cracks in building”.
9. Kazemreza Kashyzadeh, Neda Aghili Kesheh, “ Study Type Of Cracks In Construction And
Its Controlling” International Journal Of Emerging Technology And Advanced
Engineering,Volume 2,Issue 8, August 2012

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