Crack-bridging ability of organic coatings for concrete: influence of the method of concrete cracking, thickness and nature of the coating

Some concern about the determination of a standardised test for crack-bridging ability (CBA) measurements exists. The present work focuses on the analysis of the results of experimental tests performed to simulate the mechanical behaviour of a coating when a crack in the beneath concrete opens and grows. The influence of the method of concrete cracking, thickness and nature of the coating on the CBA are studied. Experimental results suggest that: (i) the same coating has higher CBA when the crack in the beneath concrete is produced through slight bending rather than through tensile loading; (ii) the CBA clearly depends on the nature (then mechanical properties) of the applied coating; (iii) power law relationships between CBA and thickness of the coating exist.