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INTRODUCTION THE SYSTEMATIC APPROACH FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF BUILDING CRACKS
INTRODUCTION
Cracks in general may occur due to : * Inadequate Planning * Faulty Design * Improper Construction * Poor Maintenance
CRACKS ----BASICS.
Cracks occur when stress exceeds strength. Structural Vs. non structural cracks.
horizontal because of restrain of foundation. Vertical cracks are hence due to horizontal movements.
CRACKS---- CLASSIFICATION.
THIN
MEDIUM
WIDE
CRACKS CAUSES------GENERAL.
MOISTURE MOVEMENT : reversible in nature( expansion
on absorbance & shrinkage on drying ). Initial shrinkage(in concrete, mortar, plasters) irreversible in nature is the main cause of cracking. Initial shrinkage is 50% greater than subsequent drying and wetting. Shrinkage tensile stress cracksstress relieved. Shrinkage cracks controlled by temperature reinforcement': small dia bars closely spacedthin cracks.
CRACKS CAUSES----GENERAL
Work done in cold weather is less liable to shrinkage than
in hot weather(E/C opposite). Daily variation in temperature more crack prone than seasonal changes(creep). Factors contributing thermal movements: 1. Colour---reflectivity 2. Conductivity---temp grad & warp. 3. Insulating cover---- absorbence. 4. Heat generated-----OPC Vs. LHC.
The primary source and causes of cracks in buildings can be streamlined under the following headings. 1.Human 2.Chemical 3. Atmospheric 4.Structural 5. Moisture 6.Faulty Design 7. Faulty Construction 8. Faulty Materials 9. Faulty System 10.Vegetation .
1. HUMAN
1.
Human
Failure to clean and carry out routine maintenance Ignorance of the causes of cracks. Poor planning .
2.CHEMICAL
2.
Chemical
3.ATMOSPHERIC
OCCURANCE OF CRACKS
E/C of roof slab, large span, slip joints, inadequate
insulation cover. (wall &ceiling plaster discontinuous by a 10 mm groove). Thermal coeff of concrete=2wice of brick.(differential E/C). Drying shrinkage of concrete=3-4 times of brickwork.
Provision of joints:
Expansion joints: allows(E/C), 6-40 mm wide. Control joints: allows only contraction(concrete & masonry
are strong in compression & weak in tension);cracks occur due to contraction. Slip joints: allows sliding movement(roof slab is ingressed in the brick wall, tarred paper in between).
3.
Atmospheric
- Reaction of the structure, external fabric, finishes and claddings to the atmospheric elements such as:
Wind
Rain
Sun
Frost and snow for cold weather Pollution in the atmosphere - Reaction of the building to the penetration of the above atmospheric elements.
4.STRUCTURAL
4.
Structural
5.MOISTURE
5.
Moisture
- Penetration of the external fabric of claddings, or through ground floor constructions giving rise to dampness which may create a suitable condition for fungi growth and subsequently a crack.
7.FAULTY DESIGN
7.
Faulty Design
- Poor detailing at the design stage including: - Insufficient allowance for expansion or contraction - Absence of weathering - Incorrectly placed damp proof courses
7.FAULTY DESIGN 7-External wall Poor detailing-Spilling of brickwork cladding-compression of the concrete wall
8.FAULTY CONSTRUCTION
8.
Faulty Construction
8.FAULTY CONSTRUCTION 3-Plastic CrackingOccurs while concrete in plastic state-rapid loss of water or settlement of aggregates
9.
Faulty Materials
- Failure of client, builder, designer or architect to reject substandard materials. - In adequate inspection of materials by supplier or receiver - Inadequate storage facilities on site - Inadequate/or inconsistent mixing of materials on site
11.FAULTY SYSTEMS
11.
Faculty Systems
- Inadequate knowledge on the part of the designer or architect leading to an unsatisfactory design, detail of system. - Inability of the installer to follow the specification and/or drawings - Inadequate testing of the system before commissioned - Failure of owner to follow maintenance instructions provided by manufacturer or designer. - Inability of the owner to operate the system as instructed.
12. VEGETATION
wide at bottom &narrow at top. Moisture present in the soil is dehydrated by the roots of the trees,which swells up to exert an upward thrust on the foundation, subsequently causing cracks in the wall.
PREVENTION OF CRACKS---(A)
Create slip joints under the support of RCC slab on walls. Masonry work on RCC slabs and beams should not be started before drying RCC slab and beam. Provide horizontal movement joints between the top of brick panel and RCC beam/slab
Construct joints such as construction joints, expansion joints, control joints and slip joints. The joints should be planned at the time of design and be constructed carefully.
PREVENTION OF CRACKS----(B)
Use dense and good quality concrete i.e. richer mix of
cement concrete 1:1.5:3 to prevent cracks. Repair corrosive cement concrete surface by guniting/ injecting technique after removing all loose and damaged concrete and cleaning reinforcement from all rust. Use minimum quantity of water required for mixing cement concrete or cement mortar according to water cement ratio. Never allow cement concrete work without mechanical mix and vibrator.
PREVENTION OF CRACKS----(C)
Use largest possible aggregate and ensure good grading of
materials. The use of water according to required workability has less shrinkage because of reduction in the porosity of hardened concrete. Proper curing should be started as soon as initial setting has taken place and be continued for at least seven to ten days. When hardening of concrete takes place under moist environment, the shrinkage due to drying is comparatively less.
PREVENTION OF CRACKS----(D)
Do not use fine materials containing silt, clay and dust. Use
coarse sand/fine aggregate in cement concrete and cement mortar mix which has silt and clay less than 4%. Use coarse aggregate and fine aggregate after washing to reduce silt contents. 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. Do not let trees grow too close to the buildings, compound walls etc. Remove any saplings of trees as soon as possible if they start growing in or near of walls etc.
PREVENTION OF CRACKS----(E)
Increasing the volume of aggregate by 10% reduces the shrinkage value by 50%. Use of CaCl2 as an accelerator increases shrinkage by 50%. Shrinkage is much lesser in coastal environment than in non coastal environment. Shrinkage is lesser for cements having large C3S & lesser NaO & KaO. RHC has greater shrinkage than OPC. Lowering temperature from 38 to 10( deg cel) reduces H2O requirement by 25 lts per cubic meter.
Conclusion
It is impossible to control all the above factors during design, construction and occupations stages of buildings. However, considering these factors and minimizing their effect will definitely reduce the amount and need for maintenance. Cracks should be repaired by injecting epoxy compound .