Cracks commonly occur in residential basement walls due to shrinkage as the concrete dries and from temperature and moisture variations. Proper design and construction techniques can minimize cracking. These include using adequate reinforcement, controlled joints, proper placement and curing of the concrete, installing waterproofing and drainage systems, carefully backfilling, and maintaining soil grading away from the foundation. If necessary, professional repair methods like epoxy injection can stabilize cracks.
Cracks commonly occur in residential basement walls due to shrinkage as the concrete dries and from temperature and moisture variations. Proper design and construction techniques can minimize cracking. These include using adequate reinforcement, controlled joints, proper placement and curing of the concrete, installing waterproofing and drainage systems, carefully backfilling, and maintaining soil grading away from the foundation. If necessary, professional repair methods like epoxy injection can stabilize cracks.
Cracks commonly occur in residential basement walls due to shrinkage as the concrete dries and from temperature and moisture variations. Proper design and construction techniques can minimize cracking. These include using adequate reinforcement, controlled joints, proper placement and curing of the concrete, installing waterproofing and drainage systems, carefully backfilling, and maintaining soil grading away from the foundation. If necessary, professional repair methods like epoxy injection can stabilize cracks.
Cracks commonly occur in residential basement walls due to shrinkage as the concrete dries and from temperature and moisture variations. Proper design and construction techniques can minimize cracking. These include using adequate reinforcement, controlled joints, proper placement and curing of the concrete, installing waterproofing and drainage systems, carefully backfilling, and maintaining soil grading away from the foundation. If necessary, professional repair methods like epoxy injection can stabilize cracks.
Cast-in-place concrete basements provide durable, high quality living space. Cracking of concrete is a natural occurrence and at times can be undesirable. Most common causes of cracking include: a. Temperature and drying shrinkage cracks. Gener- ally, newly placed concrete is at its largest volume. As concrete hardens it dries and starts to shrink. Temperature variations cause concrete to expand and contract. When these volume changes are re- strained, cracking results. b. Re-entrant corner cracking occurs diagonally from the corners of windows, doors or openings in the WHY do Basement Cracks Occur? concrete walls. These cracks result from shrinkage. c. Pour lines are visible demarcations between place- Some cracking is normal in concrete basement ment of two concrete loads, typically due to a de- walls. Volume changes and other movements at an lay in placing between the loads and if proper con- early age result in different types of cracks, as dis- solidation was not performed to homogenize the cussed earlier. These cracks can grow if the walls two portions across the separation. Pour lines are are not properly designed, due to the continued often perceived as cracks. In extreme cases they horizontal pressures applied by soils, water and may perform as cracks if the first placement has temperature. Cracking can be minimized and prob- partially hardened before the second placement. lems prevented if the design and construction prac- This is often referred to as a cold joint. tices that follow are implemented. d. Vertical form lines occur between form panels and Most builders or third party providers offer limited can sometimes cause weak zones due to the use of warranties for basements. A typical warranty will form ties that support two layers of formwork dur- require repair only when cracks leak, have measur- ing concrete placement. Cracks may initiate at able vertical displacement, or if the crack width form lines. exceeds 1/8-in. (3 mm). The National Association e. Restraint cracks may form in some portions of of Home Builders (NAHB) requires repair or cor- walls where contact with footings restrains the rective action when cracks in basement walls cause shrinkage of the concrete wall. leaks into the basement. f. Crazing and surface cracking may occur due to a lack of adequate curing and protection if construc- HOW to Design & Construct Quality Basements? tion is during extreme cold or hot weather. Cast-in-place concrete basement walls are the g. Settlement cracks occur from non-uniform support strongest and most effective foundation for a of footings or occasionally from expansive soils. residence. However, climate conditions, unusual or h. Structural cracks may occur during backfilling if unforeseen loads, material quality and concrete strength is not adequate or the walls are workmanship may impact the quality of the finished not adequately supported as the design intends. basement. Proper design and construction is This is most likely to occur when heavy equipment important. The following steps should be followed: gets too close to the walls during the backfill proc- a. Site conditions and excavation. Soil type and ess or when pressure due to backfill material ex- conditions should be properly assessed for ceed that anticipated in the design, for example appropriate design and construction of with liquefied soils. foundations specific to the building site. The excavation should be at least to the level of the foundation walls. These are spray-applied, painted, bottom of the basement slab and can be to the or mechanically fastened sheet systems. Positive bottom of the footing. Soil or granular fill side waterproofing (exterior) is generally better beneath the entire area of the basement should than negative side (inside) to keep water from be well compacted by rolling, vibrating or leaking through cracks. Drainage systems should tamping. Footings must bear on undisturbed soil be designed to remove excessive soil moisture or well compacted fill. Uniform soil bearing along the basement wall. Provide foundation capacity should be ensured or the design should drainage by installing drain tiles or plastic pipes accommodate any variation. around the exterior of the footing and properly b. Formwork and reinforcement. Formwork connect them to a removal system or drain to must be installed and braced to withstand the daylight. Surface and roof drainage should direct pressure of the fresh and flowing concrete. water away from the residence. Water should be Reinforcement is used to control crack width. drained to lower elevations suitable to receive Wall thickness and reinforcement should be storm water run off. provided in accordance with International g. Backfilling and final grading. Backfilling should Residential Code (IRC), ACI 332, or locally be done carefully to avoid damaging the walls. adopted Code. Brace the walls, if possible, or backfill after first c. Joints. Some cracks in basement walls can be floor or other structural systems are in place. Finish controlled to occur in properly located formed grade to slope ½ to 1-in. per foot (40 to 80-mm per joints. m) for at least 8 to 10 feet (2.5 to 3 m) to drain d. Concrete. Use concrete with adequate strength water away from the foundation. Considering in accordance with the Code and project settlement, maintain this final grade to prevent specifications. Excess water should not be added water from standing along the foundation and to concrete in the truck mixer. Water-reducing exceeding the designed wall pressure. admixtures can be used to increase flow. Air- h. Crack repair. Cracking is not necessarily a sign entrained concrete should be used for walls that of poor materials or workmanship or a structural may be exposed to moisture and freezing problem with the concrete wall. If repair is temperatures. necessary, epoxy injection, dry-packing, or routing e. Placement and curing. Place concrete in a and sealing techniques can be used to repair and continuous operation to avoid cold joints and stabilize cracks. Before repairing leaking cracks, segregation. Adding excess water to concrete to the drainage around the structure should be facilitate placement will increase segregation, checked and corrected if necessary. Details of cause honeycombing or excessive cracking, and these and other repair methods are provided in reduce strength. Consider placement points no Ref. 1. Seek professional advice to evaluate and greater 20 or 30 feet around the perimeter of the repair active cracks that are widening with time. wall to minimize segregation. Properly designed higher slump concretes with admixtures will References flow horizontally for long distances and 1. Causes, Evaluation and Repair of Cracks, ACI 224.1R, American placement points can be spread out. Curing Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills, MI. www.concrete.org should begin after placement. Forms should be 2. Code Requirements for Residential Concrete, ACI 332-14, American left in place 5 to 7 days or at least until concrete Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills, MI. attains adequate strength to support itself. Forms 3. International Residential Code, International Code Council, Washington, DC, www.iccsafe.org removed too early can result in premature drying 4. Residential Concrete, National Association of Home Builders, and may cause cracking. In cold weather, forms Washington, DC, www.nahb.org should be insulated with blankets or other 5. Residential Construction Performance Guidelines, National materials to retain heat. During hot dry weather, Association of Home Builders, Washington, DC. forms should be covered with wet burlap to 6. Casting Residential Foundation Walls in Cold Weather, Concrete retain moisture. Liquid membrane-forming Foundations Association, Mount Vernon, IA, www.cfawalls.org. curing compounds can be sprayed at the required 7. Backfilling Foundation Walls, Concrete Foundations Association, Mount Vernon, IA. coverage after forms are removed to prevent 8. Cracking in Foundation Walls, Concrete Foundations Association, excessive drying. Mount Vernon, IA. f. Waterproofing and drainage. Waterproof membranes are best applied to the exterior of 1979, 2000, 2014