Causes of Concrete Failure
Corrosion is not the only source of failure. Many other sources cause deterioration on reinforced concrete structures; this must be kept in mind and understood well when an inspection is undertaken. These sources of failure include:
• Unsuitable materials
• Unsound aggregate
• Reactive aggregate
• Contaminated aggregate
• Using the wrong type of cement
• Cement manufacturer error
• Wrong type of admixture
• Substandard admixture
• Contaminated admixture
• Organically contaminated water
• Chemically contaminated water
• Wrong kind of reinforcement
• Size error of steel bars
• Improper workmanship
• Faulty design
• Incorrect concrete mixture (low or high cement content and incorrect admixture dosage)
• Unstable formwork
• Misplaced reinforcement
• Error in handling and placing concrete (segregation, bad placing, and inadequate compacting)
• curing incomplete
• Environmental factors
• Soil alkali
• Seawater or sewage
• Acid industry
• freezing and thawing
• Structural factors
• Load exceeding design
• Accident as ballast load or dropped object
• Earthquake load