Materials and Structures, 1994, 27, 3 6 2 - 3 6 9

RILEM DRAFT RECOMMENDATION PROJET DE RECOMMANDATIONDE LA RILEM Io4-DDC DAMAGE CLASSIFICATIONOF CONCRETE STRUCTURES CLASSIFICATION DES DOMMAGES DES STRUCTURESEN BETON

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Draft recommendation for damage classification of concrete structures

The text presented hereunder is a draft for general consideration. Comments should be sent to the TC Chairman, Prof. lng. Tibor Javor, Dr. Sc. Expertcentrum, Sulekova 8, 811 06 Bratislava, Slovakia, before 1 December 1994

1. G E N E R A L I N T R O D U C T I O N

This document outlines an approach for the classification of damage of concrete structures. These recommendations are intended to aid the carrying out of an inspection of an existing concrete structure. It can be used on prestressed, nonprestressed, precast and cast-in-place concrete structures. The classification is intended to be generic, and therefore the basis of a condition rating for any kind of structure. This classification system draws on the work of the committees and authors listed under 'Acknowledgements'.

2. FACTORS C A U S I N G D E T E R I O R A T I O N

Freezing and thawing. Concrete contains pores and absorbs water which, upon freezing, creates expansive pressures. These pressures can cause disintegration. Salt action. The use of salt or other deicing agents contributes to weathering through recrystallization. Salt also increases water retention and may chemically attack the concrete if certain compounds are present. Differential thermal strains. Large temperature variations can cause severe differential strains between the surface and the interior of a concrete mass. This can be the cause of cracks and disintegration. Aggregates with lower coefficients of thermal expansion than the cement paste may also set up high tensile stresses. Unsound aggregate. Structurally weak and/or cleavable materials are vulnerable to weathering effects of moisture and temperature changes. Reactive aggregate and high alkali cement. Cracking and a weakened concrete structure result from these combinations, especially when the concrete is exposed to moisture. Sulfate compounds in soil and water. Sodium, magnesium and calcium sulfates have a deleterious effect upon certain compounds in the cement paste and can cause rapid deterioration of the concrete.
0025-5432/94 9 RILEM

Leachin 9. Water seeping through cracks and voids in hardened concrete leaches or dissolves calcium hydroxide and other compounds within the concrete. This results in efflorescence and/or incrustation at the surface. Chemical attack. A number of chemicals attack concrete. Wear and abrasion. Traffic abrasion and impact cause wearing of bridge decks. Deck wear also appears as cracking and ravelling at joint edges. Curbs, parapets and piers are damaged by equipment such as snowploughs and sweepers. Foundation movements. These movements can cause serious cracking in the structures. Shrinkage andflexural action. Both of these mechanisms result in tensile stress that can cause cracking. Rusted reinforcing steel. The increase in volume due to the formation of rust exerts expansive pressures on concrete which can cause cracking.

3. D E F I N I T I O N S A N D T E R M S
3.1 General

Condition survey. A visual examination of exposed concrete for the purpose of identifying and defining areas of distress; may include examination of interior concrete. Damage. Impairment of a structure caused by external mechanical factors. Defect. Impairment of a structure as a result of structural, material or design deficiencies or errors. Defective structure. Structure suspected to be substandard in design or construction. Deteriorated structure. Structure showing evidence of structural weakness such as excessive cracking, spalling, corroded reinforcing steel, etc. Distressed structure. Structure showing damage from excessive or improper loading, excessive vibrations, fire, etc.

Materials and S t r u c t u r e s

363 external restraints or by temperature differential in members subjected to internal restraints. Transverse cracks. Cracks that develop at right angles to the long direction of the member.

Durability. The ability of concrete to resist weathering

action, chemical attack, abrasion and other conditions of service. Evaluation. Determining the condition, degree of damage or deterioration, or serviceability of a structure and, when appropriate, indicating the need for repair, maintenance, or rehabilitation. Rehabilitation. Major repairs or modifications required to keep a structure serviceable; during rehabilitation the project is normally out of service. Repair. Restoring damaged or deteriorated elements of a structure to serviceable condition; repair work can usually be carried out while the project remains in service. Seepage. The movement of water or other fluids through pores or interstices. Weathering. Changes in colour, texture, strength, chemical composition or other properties of a material due to the action of weather.

3.3 Joint

Joint. Plane of separation between masses of concrete

placed at different times or between portions of a mass intentionally separated during or after placement. Construction joint. The surface where two successive placements of concrete meet, across which it is desirable to develop and maintain bond between the two concrete placements, and through which any reinforcement which may be present is not interrupted. Contraction joint. A formed, sawed, or tooled groove in a concrete structure to create a weakened plane and regulate the location of cracking resulting from the dimensional change of different parts of the structure. Isolation joint. A separation between adjoining parts of a concrete structure, usually a vertical plane, at a designed location such as to interfere least with performance of the structure, yet such as to allow relative movement and avoid formation of cracks elsewhere in the concrete and through which all or part of the bonded reinforcement is interrupted.

3.2 Cracks

Cracks. Spaces in an original monolithic mass of concrete

or masonry resulting from a complete or incomplete separation of the mass into two (single crack) or more (multiple cracks) parts. Checking. Development of shallow cracks at closely spaced but irregular intervals on the surface of plaster, cement paste, mortar or concrete. Craze cracks. Fine, random cracks or fissures in a surface of plaster, cement paste, mortar, or concrete. Corner breaks. Diagonal cracks forming a triangle with a longitudinal edge or joint and a transverse edge, joint or crack. D-cracking. A series of cracks in concrete near and roughly parallel to joints, edges, and structural cracks. Diagonal cracks. Inclined cracks caused by shear stress, usually at about 45 degrees to the neutral axis of a concrete member; or cracks in a slab, not parallel to the lateral or the longitudinal dimension. Hairline cracking. Small cracks of random pattern in an exposed concrete surface. Longitudinal cracks. Cracks that develop parallel to the long direction of the member. Pattern cracking (map cracking). Fine openings on concrete surfaces in the form of a pattern; resulting from a decrease in volume of the material near the surface, or increase in volume of the material below the surface, or both. Plastic cracking. Cracking that occurs in the surface of fresh concrete soon after it is placed and while it is still plastic. Shrinkage cracking. Cracking of a structure or member due to failure in tension caused by external or internal restraints as reduction in moisture content develops, or as carbonation occurs, or both. Temperature cracking. Cracking due to tensile failure, caused by temperature drop in members subjected to

3.4 Joint deficiencies

Blowups. Localized upward movement of the pavement

surface at transverse joints or cracks, often accompanied by shattering of the concrete in that area. Joint creeping. One lane's transverse joint moves ahead (or behind) the one in the adjacent lane from its original alignment straight across both lanes. Joint seal damage. Extrusion, hardening, adhesive failure (bonding), cohesive failure (splitting), or loss of sealant. Joint spall. A spall adjacent to a joint.

3.5 Surface damage

Abrasion damage. Wearing away of a surface by rubbing

and grinding.

Blistering. The irregular raising of a thin layer at the

surface of placed mortar or concrete during or soon after completion of the finishing operation, or in the case of pipe after spinning; also bulging of the finish plaster coat as it separates and draws away from the base coat. Cavitation damage. Pitting of concrete caused by implosion, i.e., the collapse of vapour bubbles in flowing water which form in areas of low pressure and collapse as they enter areas of higher pressure. Chalking. Formation of a loose powder resulting from the disintegration of surface of concrete or of applied coating, such as cement paint. Corrosion. Destruction of metal by chemical, electrochemical, or electrolytic reaction with its environment. Delamination. A separation along a plane parallel to a

364 surface as in the separation of a coating from a substrate or the layers of a coating from each other or, in the case of a concrete slab, a horizontal splitting, cracking, or separation of a slab in a plane roughly parallel to, and generally near, the upper surface; found most frequently in bridge decks and caused by the corrosion of reinforcing steel or freezing and thawing; similar to spalling, scaling, or peeling except that delamination affects large areas and can often be detected only by tapping. Deterioration. 1. Physical manifestation of failure (e.g., cracking, delamination, flaking, pitting, scaling, spalling, staining) caused by environmental or internal autogenous influences on rock and hardened concrete as well as other materials; 2. decomposition of material during either testing or exposure to service. Disintegration. Deterioration into small fragments and subsequently into particles. Dusting. The development of a powdered material at the surface of hardened concrete. Erosion. Progressive disintegration of a solid by the abrasive or cavitation action of gases, fluids, or solids in motion. See also Abrasion damage and Cavitation damage. Exfoliation. Disintegration occurring by peeling off in successive layers; swelling up and opening into leaves or plates like a partly opened book. Exudation. A liquid or viscous gel-like material discharged through a pore, crack, or opening in the surface of concrete. Loss of coarse aggregate. Coarse aggregate particles ( > 88inch) are removed from the surface. Peeling. A process in which thin flakes of mortar are broken away from a concrete surface, such as by deterioration or by adherence of surface mortar to forms as forms are removed. Pitting. Development of relatively small cavities in a surface, due to phenomena such as corrosion, cavitation, or other types of localized disintegration. Popout. The breaking away of small portions of a concrete surface due to localized internal pressure which leaves a shallow, typically conical, depression. Ravelling. The wearing away of the pavement surface by the dislodging of aggregate particles. Scaling. Local flaking or peeling away of the near-surface portion of hardened concrete or mortar; also of a layer from metal. Spall. A fragment, usually in the shape of a flake, detached from a larger mass by a blow, by the actionof weather, by pressure, or by expansion within the larger mass.

104-DDC D a m a g e classification of concrete structures

Deflection. A variation in position or shape of a structure

or structural element due to effects of loads or volume change, usually measured as a linear deviation from an established plane rather than an angular variation. Deformation. A change in dimension or shape due to stress. Distortion. See Deformation. Faulting (stepping). Difference in elevation between opposing sides of a joint or crack. Settlement (sagging). Longitudinal deviation of pavement surface or structural member from its original construction profile. Warping. A deviation of a slab or wall surface from its original shape, usually caused by temperature or moisture differentials or both within the slab or wall.

3.7 Textural features and phenomena relevant to their development

Air void. A space in cement paste, mortar, or concrete

filled with air; an entrapped air void is characteristically 1 mm or more in size and irregular in shape; an entrained air void is typically between 10 gm and 1000 gm in diameter and spherical or nearly so. Bleeding. The autogenous flow of mixing water within, or its emergence from, newly placed concrete or mortar; caused by the settlement of the solid materials within the mass; also called water gain. Bug holes. Small regular or irregular cavities, usually not exceeding 25 mm in diameter, resulting from entrapment of air bubbles in the surface of formed concrete during placement and compaction. Cold joint lines. Visible lines on the surfaces of formed concrete indicating the presence of joints where one layer of concrete had hardened before subsequent concrete was placed. Cold joint. A joint or discontinuity resulting from a delay in placement of sufficient time to preclude a union of the material in two successive lifts. Discoloration. Departure of colour from that which is normal or desired. Efflorescence. A deposit of salts, usually white, formed on a surface, the substance having emerged in solution from within concrete or masonry and deposited by evaporation. Honeycomb. Voids left in concrete due to failure of the mortar to effectively fill the spaces among coarse aggregate particles. Incrustation. A crust or coating, generally hard, formed on the surface of concrete or masonry construction or on aggregate particles. Laitance. A layer of weak and nondurable material containing cement and fines from aggregates, brought by bleeding water to the top of over wet concrete, the amount of which is generally increased by overworking or over-manipulating concrete at the surface by improper finishing or by job traffic. Polished aggregate. Surface mortar and texturing worn

3.6 Changes in member shape

Curling. The distortion of an originally essentially linear

or planar member into a curved shape such as the warping of a slab due to creep or to differences in temperature or moisture content in the zones adjacent to its opposite faces.

Materials and Structures away to expose coarse aggregate in the concrete, which is now glossy in appearance and smooth to the touch. Sand pocket. A zone in concrete or mortar containing fine aggregate with little or no cement. Sand streak. A streak of exposed fine aggregate in the surface of formed concrete caused by bleeding. Segregation. The differential concentration of the components of mixed concrete, aggregate, or the like, resulting in non-uniform proportions in the mass. Stalactite. A downward pointing deposit formed as an accretion of mineral matter produced by evaporation of dripping water from the surface of rock or of concrete, commonly shaped like an icicle. Stalagmite. An upward pointing deposit formed as an

365 accretion of mineral matter produced by evaporation of dripping water, projecting from the surface of rock or concrete, commonly conical in shape. Stratification. The separation of over wet or overvibrated concrete into horizontal layers with increasingly lighter material toward the top; water, laitance, mortar, and coarse aggregate will tend to occupy successively lower positions in that order; a layered structure in concrete resulting from placing of successive batches that differ in appearance; occurrence in aggregate stockpiles of layers of differing grading or composition; a layered structure in a rock formation. Water void. Voids along the underside of an aggregate particle or reinforcing bar which formed during the bleeding period by entrapment of water.

4. C L A S S I F I C A T I O N S A N D R A T I N G S 4.1 Cracks Type Rating 1 (very slight) 2 (slight) 3 (moderate) 4 (severe) 5 (very severe) 1 (very slight) 2 (slight) 3 (moderate) 4 (severe) 5 (very severe) 1 (very slight) 2 (slight) 3 (moderate) 4 (severe) 5 (very severe) I (very slight) 2 (slight) 3 (moderate) 4 (severe) 5 (very severe) Appearance < 1 mm ( ~ in) in width 1-10 mm (3~-]- in) in width 10-20 mm (3_88in) in width 20-25 mm (3-1 in) in width > 25 mm (I in) in width spalling and/or faulting barely noticeable clearly visible-no ravelling clearly visible-some ravelling cracks ravelled over substantial area cracks severely ravelled or spalled < 1 mm ( ~ in) in width 1-10 mm (32--8 in) in width ~- 3 10-20 mm (3_88in) in width 20-25 mm (3-1 in) in width > 25 mm (1 in) in width spalling and/or faulting crack width < 1 mm. Effective width < 150 mm (6 in) from joint or crack effective width <250 mm (10 in) from joint or crack, no spalling as above but with moderate spalling as above but with severe spalling as above but with very severe spalling Amount number and length

Diagonal Longitudinal Transverse

Craze Pattern Checking Plastic Plastic Corner crack

% area affected

number of corners affected

D cracking

% area affected

4.2 Joint deficiencies

Type Rating t (very slight) 2 (slight) 3 (moderate) 4 (severe) 5 (very severe) Appearance joint barely out of line noticeably out of line 12-25 mm (89 in) out of line 26-50 mm (1-2 in) out of line > 50 mm (> 2 in) out of line Amount % joints showing distress

Joint creeping

366

104-DDC Damage classification of concrete structures

Type

Rating 1 (very slight) 2 (slight) 3 (moderate) 4 (severe) 5 (very severe) 1 (very slight) 2 (slight) 3 (moderate)

Appearance < 10% joint length 10-25 26-50 51-75 76-100 less than 0.5 m (2 it) long and 0.1 m (4 in) wide. No loose pieces as above - pieces loose or missing more than 0.6 m (2 ft long)- broken into piecesmore than 0.1 m (4 in wide) as above - large pieces missing as above but on both sides of joint or cracks

Amount number of and % of a joint affected

Seal damage (extrusion, adhesion and cohesion failure, seal loss)

Joint spalling

number of joints and % affected

4 (severe)
5 (very severe)

Blowups

number per unit length (km or miles)

4.3 Surface damage

Type Rating Appearance Amount % area affected

Chalking Detamination Dusting Exudation Blistering Cavitation Peeling Exfoliation Popouts

1 (very slight) 3 (moderate) 5 (very severe) 1 (very slight) 2 (slight) 3 (moderate) 4 (severe) 5 (very severe) 1 (very slight) 2 (slight) 3 (moderate) 4 (severe) 5 (verysevere)

see definitions

see definitions
noticeable thickness of damage < 10 mm (3 in) thickness of damage > 10 mm (3 in) barely noticeable noticeable holes up to 10 mm (~ in) in diameter holes between 10 and 50 mm (~-2 in) in diameter holes > 50 mm (2 in) in diameter noticeable loss of surface mortar without exposure of coarse aggregate loss of surface mortar 5 to 10 mm (~ in) in depth with exposure of coarse aggregate loss of surface mortar I0 to 20 mm (88in) in depth surrounding coarse aggregate loss of coarse aggregate and mortar to a depth in excess of 20 mm (88in) barely noticeable clearly noticeable holes larger than popout of coarse aggregate holes 150 mm (6 in) in diam and at least 150 mm (6 in) deep holes larger than 150 mm (6 in) barely noticeable noticeable pock-marked appearance closely spaced pock-marks surface has ravelled appearance

av. size (cm 2, in-') and number %area affected

%area affected

Scaling

% area affected

Spalls

1 (very slight) 2 (slight) 3 (moderate) 4 (severe) 5 (very severe)

% area affected

Loss of coarse aggregate

1 (very slight) 2 (slight) 3 (moderate) 4 (severe) 5 (very severe)

% area affected

Materials and Structures 4.4 Changes in member shape Type

Faulting (stepping)

367

Rating 1 (very slight) 2 (slight) 3 (moderate) 4 (severe) 5 (very severe)

Appearance barely noticeable noticeable I 1 3-6 mm (~-4 in) 1 5 7-15 mm (i-~ in) > 15 mm (~ in)
see definitions

Amount % faults per unit length

Deflection Curling Settlement Warping

linear deviation from established plane

4.5 Textural features Type

Efflorescence Incrustation Honeycomb Sand pockets Polished aggregate

Rating 1 (very slight) 3 (moderate) 5 (very severe)

Appearance noticeable surface material surface material < 10 mm (3 in) thick surface material > 10 mm (8 in) thick ~
see definitions

Amount % area affected

number and % area affected % area affected

1 (very slight) 2 (slight) 3 (moderate) 4 (severe) 5 (very severe)

barely noticeable noticeable distinctive dull finish glossy mirror-finished surface highly polished

5. STANDARD SYMBOLS During a condition survey, all types of abnormalities existing in the structure must be located, inspected and recorded as to type, size, location, extent and degree of severity. Standard symbols can be used during the survey to reduce the time necessary to record data, to help improve the accuracy of the data obtained and to standardize data recorded by separate crews which may be working simultaneously on the same project. The symbols are shown in Figs i and 2, and are intended to be drawn to scale and serve as standard notations for the more commonly encountered structural defects and abnormalities. In addition, the area or length of each condition can be estimated and should accompany the symbols when more complete documentation is needed. Fig. 1 shows the symbols for crack identification, and Fig. 2 shows those for surface damage and joint deficiencies.

r t
Crack Width, in. (Arrow drawn to location where crack width is measured)

x---O.0O2"

Crack Displaying Rust Staining

(0 005
Patternor Map Cracking (Dimensions shown in parentheses indicate crack width and area of cracking)

PAT CRK

<ongito Crackin,----/--__/ ina,

/ )
6. P H O T O G R A P H I C D O C U M E N T A T I O N Photographs can and should be used to supplement the field notes and sketches as well as define the conditions represented by the symbols. Note cards can be inserted before the photographs are taken to show the location, date, photograph number, film roll number and other

Fig. 1 Crack identification symbols.

368

104-DDC Damage classification of concrete structures

ii ~,,~: i iiiiiiiiiii iiiir

ExposedReinforcement Steel (Exampleshowsnotationused for lightrustwith no tossin

cross-sectional area)

EXP RF (Ught Rust, No Loss)

":: ......... ...... ~:::' Blowup Laneto S h o u l d e ~ ff Separation / 9 #/ . . . Or/ransverse,Joint I-auJting . . . ~ / f// / ~ Laneto ShoulderDropoff ~'""~. . . . . . . . . . ;/:::::::P~ Shoulder

ExposedReinforcement Steel (Exampleshowsnotationused for heavy rust with a 15% loss in cross-sectional area) EXP RF (Hvy Rust, t 5% Loss)

'

~ Spallingof
Transverse

Joint~-~- jt u:i i:; -/// o~ n:i~: ._:~i~ L;iilt

/ ~ . ~ Spallingof / ~/ Transverse Joint ,................ j.r.......~Shoulder / /

RUSTSTN Rust Staining

Polished Ag g regat e - - ~ 2

SCL Scaling(Informationshownin (1/4"x 24SF) ~ . . ~ parenthesesindicatesdepthand areaof scaling) (C)

.. I177/ "aP Ora~ andSea"rig

N

Shoulder

Fig. 2 Symbols for surface damage and joint deficiencies.

SP (3" x 15SF") Spalling(Informationshownin parenthesesindicates approximatedepthand areaof spalling)

(a)
Spallingwith Exposed
Reinforcement Steel

information necessary for proper documentation. Notations can also be made directly on the structure before the photograph is taken. If needed, a rule or tape measure can be inserted to illustrate the size of the defect or condition present.

6.1 Photographs used with sketches

SP/EXPRF )

Delaminatedor "Hollow" SoundingArea (Numberin

parentheses is area of the delamination)

HCB (15 S Honeycombing(Areais shown in parentheses)

When photographs are used to supplement field sketches, symbols can be used on the sketches to record the location of each of the photographs taken. Typically, numbering of the photographs can be made by referring to the roll number and negative number. The symbols included in this section can be used on the sketches to record the required information. Documentation should accompany each photograph and give the photograph number, date taken, name of photographer, description of area and distance. Colour reproduction systems can also be used to reproduce photographs required in a report and simplify report preparation when a large number of photographs are included.

6.2 Limitations
~ [ [ [ r ~ t t t t r

Patched Concrete (Information shown in pal'entheses indicates type and area of patch)

. ~ [ ] ! .!.i.i.i.i.i.i ] i,,1 i.i.~ . . . . ii . . . . . . . , , , , , , ., . .

"

vj

PATCHCONC / (Epoxy,lsSF)

(b)

Photographs are invaluable in field inspection work, but should not be relied upon as a sole course in recording data. Such a practice would require extensive documentation to record the exact position, angle, distance from the subject and photograph number for each photograph taken.

M a t e r i a l s and Structures ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Valuable information and material was obtained from the following sources. Chong, G. J., Phang, W. A. and Wrong, G. A., 'Manual for Condition Rating of Rigid Pavements, Distress Manifestations' (Ontario Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Downsview, Ontario, 1977). 'Distress Identification Manual for the Long-Term Pavement Performance Studies', SHRP-LTPP/FR-90-001. 'Cement and Concrete Terminology', ACI Publication SP-19 (90) (American Concrete Institute, Detroit, MI).

369 'Guide for Making a Condition Survey of Concrete Pavements', ACI 301.3R-86 (American Concrete Institute, Detroit, MI). 'Guide for Making a Condition Survey of Concrete in Service', ACI 201.1R-92 (American Concrete Institute, Detroit, MI). 'Engineering and Design, Evaluation and Repair of Concrete Structures', Engineer Manual No. 1110-2-2002 (Department of Army, Corps of Engineers, Office of the Chief of Engineers, 1986). 'Strength Evaluation of Existing Concrete Buildings', ACI 437-67, Committee Deliberations (American Concrete Institute, Detroit, MI).