Cracking – Causes, Prevention, Repair

One of the most common complaints about concrete is cracking. Cracking of concrete is caused by any number of factors including drying shrinkage, thermal contraction, sub grade settlement, load on concrete and restraint (external or internal) to shortening.

Preventing problem cracking is your best option here. Truly, the age old saying, “ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure” is true in this case. You make cracking a lot less likely at the very start by providing good design and installation of joints.

FIGURE B is a good example of cracking because of poor joint design or installation. Cracks that occur before hardening usually result because of settlement with in the concrete mass, or shrinkage of the surface caused by rapid loss of water while the concrete is still plastic.

V-SEAL 102V-4 retards rapid water loss in the critical curing process and allows the concrete to mature as intended for greater overall strength. FIGURE A above shows an example of this (plastic-shrinkage) cracking.