THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CRACKING IN REINFORCED CONCRETE PIPE

OBJECTIONS TO CRACKING IN REINFORCED CONCRETE PIPE ARE BASED ON TWO POINTS: (1) THE CRACK MAY PROVIDE A POINT AT WHICH MOISTURE CAN INDUCE CORROSION OF THE REINFORCING STEEL, AND (2) THE CRACK IS AN INDICATON OF OVERSTRESSED REINFORCEMENT WITH POSSIBLE DANGER TO THE STABILITY OF THE STRUCTURE. THESE FACTORS ARE DISCUSSED AND IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE FORMATION OF THE 0.01-INCH CRACK IN THE FIELD IS ACCEPTABLE IN REINFORCED CONCRETE PIPE. IT IS NOT A POINT AT WHICH CORROSION OF THE REINFORCING STEEL BEGINS. IT OFTEN CLOSES THROUGH AUTOGENOUS HEALING. CRACKS WIDER THAN 0.01 INCH SHOULD PROBABLY BE SEALED TO INSURE PROTECTION OF THE REINFORCING STEEL. CRACKS WIDER THAN 0.01 INCH AND NOT ACCOMPANIED BY SPALLING OF THE CONCRETE COVER OVER THE STEEL ARE NOT NECESSARILY AN INDICATION OF AN OVER-LOADED PIPE. IT IS NEITHER PRACTICAL NOR ECONOMICAL TO DESIGN REINFORCED CONCRETE PIPE TO SPECIFIED THEORETICAL STRESSES. USING A SPECIFIED CRACK WIDTH AT A SPECIFIED TEST LOAD AS A BASIS OF ACCEPTANCE IS ECONOMICAL AND PRACTICAL.

• Record URL:
  https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/HRBproceedings/40/40-019.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 40, pp 406-408, 5 REF. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Hendrickson, J G
• Publication Date: 1961

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Monograph Title: Proceedings of the Fortieth Annual Meeting of the Highway Research Board, Washington, D.C., January 9-13, 1961.
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Proceedings
  • Volume: 40
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Corrosion; Cracking; Fracture mechanics; Material reinforcement; Oversize loads; Reinforced concrete pipe; Spalling; Specifications; Width
• Uncontrolled Terms: Overloads
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00208510
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Dec 9 1994 12:00AM