Different Types of Concrete Cracks a Building May Have

Home Improvement

It’s a common perception that cracks on concrete walls or slabs occur due to major structural issues. However, that’s not always true. These cracks can also occur due to minor problems. Experts often say that all buildings will develop cracks after a few years of use. But property owners should never take these cracks lightly and seek immediate professional assistance for concrete crack repair in the woodlands. These cracks can be of various types. The section below talks about the most frequently occurring ones. 

Plastic Shrinkage Cracks

These cracks occur before the concrete hardens. During this phase, the concrete still has a lot of water left in it. When the water dries up, the concrete solidifies but leaves plenty of empty spaces between particles. These voids weaken the concrete and increase the chances of cracks. Such cracks are called plastic shrinkage cracks. These are the most common concrete cracks found in buildings.

Plastic shrinkage cracks are most common in circular objects inside concrete slabs. These include manholes, drains, plumbing fixtures, and pipes. The other areas that often get these cracks are the reentrant corners. 

The main reason behind the formation of these cracks is the use of excess water in the concrete. Incorporation of control joints may help in preventing this type of cracking.

Expansion Cracks

Exposure to excess heat can result in concrete expansion and eventually trigger the formation of cracks. Expanding concrete starts to push anything that comes in its way. These may include an adjacent slab, a brick wall, etc. When this continues to happen, the concrete starts developing visible cracks.

One way to manage the problem is by installing expansion joints to form a point of isolation between the static surfaces. These joints are usually structures made of rubber, lumber, asphalt, or any other compressible material.

Heaving Cracks

These concrete cracks are common in areas that freeze during winter months. Freezing concrete slabs tend to lift several inches before they thaw and come back to their place. The movements resulting from freezing and subsequent thawing end up cracking concrete structures.

Heaving cracks can also occur in concrete slabs that have big tree roots near them. As the roots grow underneath the slab, they lift the surface and crack it. To prevent this problem, construction workers should avoid building concrete slabs near large trees. If the damage is already done, seeking professional assistance for concrete crack repair in the woodlands is the only option.

Overloading Cracks

Despite being extremely strong, concrete structures may become victims of overloading. Experts often say that the strength of a concrete mix is 3000 PSI or 5000 PSI. They use these numbers to indicate how many pounds are needed per square inch to crush the concrete structure. Cracks occur when the user puts more burden on the concrete structure than what’s permitted.

Conclusion

Professionals doing concrete crack repair in the woodlands know how to manage different types of cracks. They offer solutions that will correct the existing problems and will also prevent further occurrence of cracks.