CONTROL OF CRACKING IN CONCRETE STRUCTURES

Abstract

PRINCIPAL CAUSES OF CRACKING AND RECOMMENDED CRACK CONTROL PROVISIONS ARE PRESENTED IN THIS REPORT. IT COVERS THE BASIC MECHANISM OF MICROCRACKING AND FRACTURE MECHANICS IN CONCRETE. IT DEALS WITH CONTROL OF CRACKING DUE TO VARIOUS CAUSES IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: SHRINKAGE, REINFORCED CONCRETE BEAMS, ONE-WAY AND TWO-WAY SLABS SYSTEMS, PRESTRESSED CONCRETE SYSTEMS, LONG-TERM EFFECTS INCLUDING CREEP AND OTHER FACTORS, MASS CONCRETE, AND CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURES. THE REPORT GIVES RECOMMENDED CRITERIA AND EQUATIONS, WHERE NECESSARY, FOR USE BY THE DESIGN ENGINEER BASED ON RESEARCH AND APPLIED KNOWLEDGE IN THE FIELD OF CRACK CONTROL IN CONCRETE.