Control of Cracking in Concrete-State of the Art. Transportation Research Circular E-C107

摘要

Concrete is a quasi-brittle material with a low capacity for deformation under tensile stress. Mechanical loading, deleterious reactions, and environment loading can result in the development of tensile stresses in concrete. These tensile stresses all too frequently result in cracking that can adversely affect the performance of concrete. However, the potential for cracking can be minimized by appropriate precautions in design, materials and proportions, and construction practices. These precautions will ensure that concrete can be used satisfactorily for an extended period of time without any significant loss of aesthetics, service life, safety, and serviceability. This circular discusses causes of cracking, testing, and ways of minimizing strains and stresses that can cause cracking in transportation structures: namely bridge structures, pavements, and footings. It is intended for anyone interested in controlling cracking for cost effective and long-lasting transportation structures.