scope:

PREFACE

Cracks in concrete have many causes. They may affect appearance only, or they may indicate significant structural distress or a lack of durability. Cracks may represent the total extent of the damage, or they may point to problems of greater magnitude. Their significance depends on the type of structure, as well as the nature of the cracking. For example, cracks that are acceptable for buildings may not be acceptable in water-retaining structures.

The proper repair of cracks depends on knowing the causes and selecting the repair procedures that take these causes into account; otherwise, the repair may only be temporary. Successful long-term repair procedures must attack the causes of the cracks as well as the cracks themselves.

To aid the practitioner in pinpointing the best solution to a cracking problem, this report discusses the causes, evaluation procedures, and methods of repair of cracks in concrete. Chapter 1 presents a summary of the causes of cracks and is designed to provide background for the evaluation of cracks. Chapter 2 describes evaluation techniques and criteria. Chapter 3 describes the methods of crack repair and includes a discussion of a number of techniques that are available. Many situations will require a combination of methods to fully correct the problem.