FAILURE & DISTRESS OF

STRUCTURES
CAUSES & REMEDIES
 Common Nature of Failures and
Distresses
Foundation Failure
Excessive settlement, tilt and collapse
Distresses in structural elements like
beam, column & slab
in forms of cracks, corrosion etc
Causes of Failures or Distresses

Design,Detailing and drafting.

Specifications of Materials
& Methods of Construction
Workmanship
Poor Supervision & Inspection
Unexpected Natural Disaster
 Poor Construction Practices
Improper selection of materials
Selection of poor quality cheap materials.
Inadequate control on Batching, Mixing,
Transporting, Placing, Finishing and Curing
Improper construction joints or between
concrete framework and masonry
Addition of excess water in concrete and
mortar mixes
Indiscriminate addition and alterations
Concrete consists of different
materials & Processeses
Cement, Sand, Aggregates,
Water,
Admixtures, Batching or Mixing,
Transportation, casting,
Compaction,
Vibrating, Curing
Poor Masonry Practice
 Corrosion of Reinforcement
 

concrete cover
concrete around it is
impervious and does not
allow moisture or chlorides
high pH value
Concrete Disintegration Mechanisms
occur with

Exposure to Aggressive
Chemicals
Alkali-Aggregate Reactions
Sulphate Attack and
Chloride Attack
Repairing reinforcement corrosion

removal of carbonated concrete

cleaning of reinforcement
protection coat
making good the reduced steel area
applying bond coat and cover
replacement
 Distresses in Concrete Structures

Corrosion of Reinforcement
Cracks
Spalling
Leakage
Chemical attack
Effects of Environment
Causes of Distress in Concrete Structures

High Water / cement ratio

Inadequate curing
Poorly graded aggregates
Inadequate compaction
Shuttering joints not slurry tight
Less cover thickness
Wrong placement of reinforcement
Chemical attack by Chloride, Sulphate, etc.
Wrong design and details
Classification of causes of failures or distresses

Unpredictable
Design
Detailing and drafting
Materials
Workmanship
Inspection & Supervision
Failures may occur during expected
service period
Use of the building for the purpose other
than for which it was designed.
Overloading and misusing the building.
Poor periodic maintenance and not
attending to cracks and minor distress in
time
Indiscriminate addition
and alterations
 REPAIR OF DISTRESSES

Structural strengthening by Plate Bonding,

RCC Jacketing, Propping & supporting, etc
Foundation strengthening can be done by
UnderPinning by Piles, Micro-piles, Inject
of ground by cement or chemical grout etc.
Cathodic Protection
Spalling of Concrete
Corrosion of steel in a canopy
Corrosion & Spalling
Cracks in Column & wall
Possible Slip of Bridge Supports
Corrosion affected Distressed Column
Beam-Column Joint Failure
Beam-Column Joint Failure