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Acceptable crack width in structural concrete

Acceptable crack width in structural concrete

Acceptable crack width in structural concrete

(OP)
My firm designs environmental structural concrete (ACI 350) and "building" concrete (ACI 318), and we also specify pre-cast - like box culverts and utility trenches.

Acceptable crack width for pre-cast and cast-in-place structures has been problem (with the exception of fluid-retaining structure, which get leak-tested).

ACI 318 does not give specifics, and there are a multitude of ACI guides (not codes) that discuss and describe cracks.  However, when a resident engineer rejects a pre-cast utility trench cover - large cost and schedule impacts - it's important to have a strict, definable standard.

We state:  1/64" (0.4mm) wide or wider x 2" (51mm) long (or longer) is cause for rejection or repair.

Is this reasonable?  My only backing is 15 years experience and inferences from various ACI guides.   

RE: Acceptable crack width in structural concrete

As a comparison, the crack rejection criteria for reinforced concrete pipe is 0.01" width and a length greater than 12 inches.

Your criterion is a bit tight, but if you are the engineer of record and doing the design and specification, then you can make it anything you want...though enforcing it without adequate foundation is a bit tough.

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