Challenge

Identification of Cracks

1.

a.

Answer:-

Observation:-

  • Concrete crushed and reinforcement is exposed
  • Concrete spalled beyond the reinforcement which may be sign of rupture
  • The top portion of the beam looks like safe because of the flange advantage from the slab
  • The crack develops from the bottom to top means the rebar has reached its plastic state at bottom portion

Result:-

  • It's a form of flexural failure due to reversal of the stress during earthquake
  • During stress reversal, structure top experiences the compression and bottom experiences the tension
  • Top compression is satisified with slab advantage and bottom tension was not satisified by the provided reinforcement
  • Since the reinforcement got yielded, it can't be repaired

b.

Answer:-

Observation:-

  • The cracks are present along the beam - column edge
  • Crack seems to have developed through structures as it looks much wider
  • Beam looks sperated from the column at joints
  • Concrete is not severely crushed

Result:-

  • It's a beam pullout failure due to insufficient development length of reinforcement in joint
  • During earthquake the horizontal movement of the structure makes this condition worse and detached the beam member from the column
  • Providing anchorage length between two existing concrete in very difficult. so not repairable

c.

Answer:-

Observation:-

  • Cracks are exactly at the joint of the column - beam
  • Cracks in width developed through its entire width
  • Slabs also developed more cracks along the beam width diretion

Result:-

  • It's a plastic hinge failure (If the failure occure at the joint of the beam is considered as a plastic hing failure and cyclic lateral loading and stress reversal led to this joint)
  • The damage occure only at the joints
  • Cyclic lateral loading and stress reversal led to this joint
  • Even the slab participated to handle the tension but unable to controal the damage
  • The joint can be strengthened

2.

a.

Answer:-

Observation:-

  • Concrete damaged at top of the column
  • Concrete damaged at all around the column face
  • Here Beams are safe
  • The location of the column looks like it is present outside the buiding
  • No walls are built along the column means it's probably at the ground floor which is used for parking

Result:-

  • It's a softstory failure and it's a plastic hinge formation
  • Due to absence of infill walls at the ground floor, The plastic hinge form at the top of ground floor storey column during lateral movement
  • Based on the development of crush of concrete, it can either repairable on non-repairable

b.

Answer:-

Observation;-

  • Concrete developed complete breakage diagonally
  • Longituudinal reinforcement are intact
  • Shear reinforcement looks wider

Result:-

  • It is pure shear failure
  • Inadequate shear reinforcement compels concrete takes all the shear stresses

c.

Answer:-

Observation:-

  • Cloumn failed completely
  • Failure at top of column, probably one at mid height of the column
  • Wooden pile might be post failure supported after column failed, providing temporary prop to avoid collapse of the entire structure

Result:-

  • It's a short column failure
  • An adiitional slab or beam are connected to the column in mid height leads to this effect
  • This leads to failure especially if the connection is unintentional and not accounted in design
  • The faillure given in picture is not at all repairable
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