END-REGION CRACKING IN PRESTRESSED CONCRETE GIRDERS AND ITS SOLUTION

As end region cracks in prestressed concrete girders have become prevalent in recent years with the use of high strength concrete, large prestressing force, slender webs and deep sections, engineers and precast manufacturers have spent considerable time and effort researching viable solutions to control or prevent these cracks. While minor cracks can simply be patched, adequate and immediate actions need to be taken if cracks are noticeably wide and deep, especially around the prestressing strands, because they may pose structural durability concerns. This study presents some of the widely used crack repair methods and provides a methodical review on numerous investigations conducted for developing crack-control techniques, crack preventive measures, and end region reinforcement details