What is the cause of cracking in concrete pavement?
New concrete slabs crack whenever tensile stresses building up within the concrete overcome the tensile strength. The tensile stresses develop from restraint of the concrete’s volume change at early ages and restraint of bending from temperature and moisture gradients through the concrete. Early volume changes are associated with the concrete’s drying shrinkage and temperature contraction. Most cracks form at planned locations where contraction joints are placed in the slabs.
