What Makes Concrete Fail and How to Fix It 

Photo by Andrei Slobtsov on Unsplash

You probably don’t think about it, but concrete is everywhere. It’s under your feet, around your house, it’s wherever there’s a space that needs to be supported. All those areas you rely on daily? That’s right, there’s concrete under them.

Concrete is used so heavily because it’s sturdy, dependable, and built to last. Or so it seems. What happens when those tough slabs crack and sink? Concrete has its limits and when it fails, the result is a huge headache because it costs quite a lot to replace it. There are many reasons why concrete goes on the fritz, from settling soils to erosion. Even the strongest material can get damaged, and if you ignore the signs, you won’t be able to just repair it; you’ll need to replace it altogether.

Luckily, there are ways around this and you can fix the damage without tearing everything apart. How? Stay tuned and I’ll tell you all you need to know.

Why Concrete Fails

So, I was walking down the street one morning, minding my business, when I saw a huge crack in the pavement. That got me thinking – what could possibly cause this type of damage? Isn’t concrete crazy resilient?

It is, but it’s not impervious to damage. Here’s what can cause concrete to crumble.

1. Soil Settling Below the Concrete

As I’ve found out, this is one of the most common causes. Concrete needs a stable base to keep its shape and strength, but soil is inherently unstable. The problem happens when poor compaction during construction leaves pockets of loose material.

Over time, this compresses under the weight of the concrete and then concrete sinks or cracks. Or both. There are also voids under the surface, which are caused by erosion.

Again, that creates an empty space that can’t support the concrete, so it sinks.

2. Damage from Water and Erosion

Water is one of concrete’s worst enemies because it can weaken it and it can disrupt the soil under it. If water gets into concrete, it erodes its internal structure and then, it cracks and breaks relatively easily.

What’s even worse is the erosion beneath the slab; little by little, water washes away the material that supports concrete, and in colder climates, freezing and thawing make this even more concerning. Water enters small cracks, freezes, and widens the fissures.

A couple of times of ‘rinse and repeat’ and the concrete ends up seriously damaged.

3. Wear and Tear

As time goes on, normal wear and tear makes concrete lose its strength and structure. Vehicles, machinery, equipment, and basically all stress that happens on the surface eventually wear concrete down.

Little cracks grow into big problems and when you top that off with everything I mentioned already, concrete gets compromised.

How to Fix It

After that crack in the pavement, I started thinking about my own backyard, driveway, and all that and got worried about having to potentially spend a lot of money to repair and replace my concrete because what if a crack of that kind should happen on my property?

So, I went online, and I searched for foam jacking near me, just in case, so I’d easily find a professional who could do that for me. But you know what I’ve also found?

Among other things, there are a lot of easy-to-follow tips & tricks, and ways to fix damaged concrete. And they are really easy to follow, even though they might, at first, seem a bit intimidating. So, here they are.

1. Foam Jacking

This is one of the best ways to fix the concrete, which is why it’s the first thinking that came to my mind.

Basically, expanding polyurethane foam is injected beneath the concrete, fills the empty space, and raises the slab back. It’s very quick and non-invasive.

Nothing needs to be torn out and it only takes a few hours to do.

2. Mudjacking

This is a process of pumping heavy cement mixture beneath the concrete slab to lift and level it. Mudjacking is effective, but it has its drawbacks; the cement mixture is heavy so it can worsen soil settling over time.

If the ground is already unstable, this is an even bigger issue. Also, it’s invasive because you have to drill large holes into the slab.

3. Concrete Patching

Patching is a very simple way to handle cracks and holes. It’s like the name would suggest, you just take fresh concrete or repair compound, apply it over the damage and that’s it. The downside to this is that it’s only a temporary fix, and it won’t do anything for problems like soil instability and erosion.

If you have a minor issue, this will work great, but for actual damage? Not so much.

Conclusion

The next time you see a crack in your concrete, don’t panic because you’ll probably be able to fix it. If it’s a tiny one, just patch it up and you’re good to go.

For something more serious, I’d say foam jacking is your best bet. You’ll need to spend a little bit of money to do it, of course, but it’s nothing compared to replacing the entire slab.