Cracking in Freshly Placed Concrete Columns

[FootNMouth]

We have a project where upon removal of the forms there was one column that had significant voids at the top. Apparently, they had to use a sonotube form on this column and it blew out at the bottom during placement.

The other columns though are also showing cracking patterns that I have not seen before. To me they look like plastic shrinkage cracks, but these columns had steel forms that were left on for ~5-days after placement.

Reportedly the slump was ~5" and weather had been mild from the time it was poured until now. We have asked for photos of the columns as soon as the forms were removed but have not been provided.

I am seeking opinions on what may have caused these cracks. The contractor is saying these are completely normal.

 

[Ingenuity]

Several (all?) of those column photos seem to show that they have been surface patched and the cracking our see is due to plastic shrinkage of the patching material.

Are you the EoR? If so, request a copy of photos immediately after the forms were removed and also what cementious patching material they used to do the patching.

If the contractor cannot provide this info have them chip out some of the patches and explain to you why they needed to patch.

I think they may not have properly consolidate the concrete with resulting boney/honeycomb/voids outside the column ties.

This is NOT normal for the work and workmanship with projects that I am involved with.

 

[Tomfh]

Looks rough. Lots of patching.

 

[XR250]

Probably stuck the vibrator in the Sonotube and blew it out and did not use it anymore.

 

[jerseyshore]

This gives me the vibe of a residential or inexperienced mason that never does round concrete columns try their best after they won the bid. Someone who is used to using sonotubes 3 ft into the ground for deck footings trying their hand on real columns. Lot of patching on all of those columns. I'd be nervous what the slab is going to look like.

 

[FootNMouth]

I appreciate the responses which reinforce the message we have already delivered to them. We are getting resistance from both the Contractor and to a certain degree the Client so wanted to make sure we were not off base.