At Building Forensics International we are always facing the age old question with concrete, what caused the cracking? Clients are always concerned with cracking of concrete. So, when I ran across this article entitled "Concrete Cracks and Joint Leaks Plague Construction of New Midtown Tunnel," my interest was piqued.
Talk of concrete cracks and leaking tunnel joints are concerning when the is discussion is about an underwater tunnel building crossing the Elizabeth River in Virginia. I encourge you to read the article and take the time to watch the video. There is a brief explanation about how the "concrete cracking" issues will be mitigated at no cost to the taxpayers.
Let me leave you with this interesting quote from the Virginia Department of Transportation representative; “We are concerned with their ability to meet specifications for fabricating the concrete elements,” said Utterback. “There are no do-overs. When you build these, they got to be under 55 feet of water for 120 years. There is some concern to get it right and make sure it’s safe to the traveling public.
- BFI Staff Writer