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Cracks in buildings are one of the most common defects encountered in the field of construction, operation, and maintenance of structures. They are considered as visible signs of distress, either superficial or structural, and are a matter of concern for engineers, architects, and maintenance teams. In the subject of Building Services and Maintenance-II, the study of cracks is of high importance because cracks not only affect the aesthetics of a building but also influence durability, stability, and safety. The causes of cracks are varied and can be broadly categorized into structural, thermal, chemical, environmental, material-related, and workmanship-related factors. Each cause has its own mechanism of formation, and understanding them with examples allows professionals to adopt preventive as well as remedial measures effectively. One of the primary factors causing cracks is structural movement due to overloading or settlement of foundations. When a building is subjected to loads greater than its design capacity, the stresses in the structural members exceed permissible limits, leading to cracks. For example, in a reinforced concrete beam, if the load is much higher than its flexural capacity, diagonal tension cracks may appear near the supports. Similarly, differential settlement of foundation occurs when the soil beneath different parts of a structure consolidates unevenly. This results in non-uniform stresses, causing cracks in walls or floors. A common example is a building constructed on expansive clay soil where one portion settles more due to seasonal moisture variations, leading to diagonal cracks at door or window corners. Another important cause of cracks is thermal movement. Materials used in construction expand on heating and contract on cooling. Since different materials in a building have different coefficients of thermal expansion, differential movement occurs at junctions, resulting in cracks. For instance, when a reinforced concrete slab is directly exposed to sunlight, it expands significantly, while the supporting brick wall below it does not expand to the same extent. This mismatch _________ ___ ____ _____ _________.
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