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Brick, Block & Beers: Vol II Issue II- Masonry Best Practices: Control Joints for Concrete Masonry walls

7/30/2018

The pictures provided show cracks under the precast header bearing at what appears to be both ends of an opening. These cracks then turn and extend up to the top of the wall through the course above the precast in a stair step fashion. The third picture provided shows cracking under the end of a precast sill which then extends from the lower right hand corner of the opening down the wall in a stair step fashion.

My response to this inquiry is based strictly on the 3 pictures provided. There may be other extenuating circumstances that I am not aware of.

The pictures provided are so indicative of classic masonry shrinkage cracking that I intend to catalog and use them in future presentations to show where cracking usually shows up in structures where shrinkage of the masonry has not been addressed by either horizontal reinforcing or properly placed control joints.

There are three important considerations to keep in mind when working with either concrete or concrete masonry - it's gray, it gets hard AND IT CRACKS. The cracking can be caused by movement (such as foundation failure), expansion and contraction due to temperature differential or drying shrinkage. Of these three, drying shrinkage is the by far and way the most common and MUST be addressed if random cracking is to be prevented. Concrete materials shrink when they loose moisture. Concrete poured under water does not

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House Bill 98 Ohio High School Career Opportunity Act

7/30/2018

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Thanks to a recent vote in the Ohio House, apprenticeship recruiting in Ohio’s public high schools may become easier for unions affiliated with the Cleveland Building and Construction Trades.
House Bill 98, the Ohio High School Career Opportunity Act, which gives equal opportunity for representatives from colleges and universities, the armed forces, skilled trades, businesses and charitable organizations to present information on future career and post-graduate opportunities to high school students, was passed by a members in a unanimous vote.

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Brick, Block & Beers: Vol II Issue II- Masonry Best Practices: Control Joints for Concrete Masonry walls

House Bill 98 Ohio High School Career Opportunity Act

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