Evaluating Cracks In Concrete Walls

The cracks might indicate a more serious structural problem.

Evaluating cracks in concrete walls.

Noting cracks sizes shapes and locations can aid in determining their initial causes. Diagonal foundation or wall cracks in concrete block or other cmu walls foundations diagnosis repair. These cracks no matter what the width are rarely acceptable. Cracks that form in plastic concrete can be categorized as either plastic shrinkage cracking or plastic settlement cracking.

However a footnote warns that with time a significant portion of the cracks in a structure can exceed these values. How to inspect diagnose concrete block foundation cracks leans bows settlement. This chapter of the foundation crack bible discusses in detail the process of evaluating stair stepped or diagonal cracking and related signs of foundation movement or damage in concrete block walls. Several masonry patching products such as hydraulic cement do an adequate job of filling cracks in concrete walls.

When that water eventually leaves the slab it leaves behind large voids between the solid particles. Call in a structural engineer for an in depth evaluation. Basham to repair cracks in concrete properly first determine what caused them. Foundation walls are normally designed as reinforced concrete.

Plastic shrinkage concrete cracks. Damaged masonry block foundations walls. We explain 6 of the most common types of concrete cracks below. This article explains concrete block or cinder block or concrete masonry unit cmu foundation inspection procedures and the diagnosis of cracks bulges leaning bowing and settlement in concrete block foundations and building walls such as damage due to impact.

In general cracks wider than a credit card and running through the depth of the concrete are structural in nature and could be a sign of more serious problems see concrete crack repair evaluation. Suprenant and kim d. Horizontal cracks in concrete walls however indicate poor wall designs or pressure buildup behind the wall. Stair step cracks may also signify heaving.

Concrete walls containing horizontal cracks are serious issues. When concrete is still in its plastic state before hardening it is full of water. Reasonable crack widths for reinforced concrete under service loads are listed in table 4 1 of aci 224r 01. If a vertical crack widens at the top or bottom the wall is either settling or gradually heaving which may present serious issues.

Figure 2 illustrates the types of cracks and their primary causes in relation to their location.