Introduction

Lesson 28 : Causes And Prevention Of Cracks In Building

Introduction

Occurrence of cracks in the building during construction, after completion when it is subjected to super imposed load or during the service life, is a common phenomenon.

Majority of cracks occur when the building or its components or the material of which the building is made up of is subjected to forces which are greater than those which it can withstand. The situation may arise on account of forces applied externally to the building, as a result of chemical changes. Cracks may also occur if the construction material is of poor quality, and the construction material is not carried out in accordance with relevant drawings. The cracks in a building can be divided into two categories.

  1. Structural cracks.
  2. Non-Structural cracks.

Structural Cracks: These may arise due to various reasons such as incorrect design, overloading of the structural components, overloading of the soil on which the building is constructed. Structural cracks endanger the stability of the building and may be difficult to be rectified. Extensive cracking of foundations, walls, beams columns or slabs are examples of structural cracks.

Non-Structural Cracks: These are generally due to internal forces, developed in the building on account of changes in the size of building components due to moisture variation, temperature variation, the effect of gases , liquid and solids on the building components. These are mostly due to internally induced stresses in building materials and do not endanger safety of a building but may look unsightly or may create an impression of faulty work or may give a feeling of instability. In some situations due to penetration of moisture through the non-structural cracks, it may spoil the internal finishes and adversely affect the structure in long run.

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