Structural cracks initiation in reinforced concrete faces of rockfill dams

The article deals with the facts of damage of some reinforced concrete faces integrity in rockfill dams; a review of opinions was made regarding the causes of crack formation in reinforced concrete faces. Analysis shows that the zones and the mechanism of crack formation in the considered cases are different. This permits speaking about the fact that various reasons may exist for crack formation. The data of field observations is not sufficient for obtaining unique understanding about the stress-strain state of the reinforced concrete face. At present there is no general opinion on the causes of crack formation in reinforced concrete faces. Consequently, the proposed measures on prevention of crack formation are based on empirical approach and require theoretical validation.