Crack-altered durability properties and performance of structural concretes

This paper reviews the cracking-altered transport properties and durability performance of structural concretes. To this purpose, this paper addresses firstly the mass exchange and transfer in single cracks, including the ion adsorption and dissolution processes of fracture surface. Then, the effect of multi-cracks is investigated successively through the geometry description, theoretical modeling of transport properties and the relevant experiments. Afterwards, the crack control with respect to durability is reviewed via experimental study and technical specifications. From this comprehensive review, it is shown that (1) the liquid flow is determinant for the mass ex0change and transfer in crack and further study should be aimed at the drying-wetting actions, (2) the transport through multi-cracks highlights the connectivity and the different roles of crack opening; (3) rational crack control on loading cracks should extend to concrete cover quality and thickness in terms of external actions.