Mystery Cracking in Concrete in Sacramento

Good Morning:  Only the shadow knows!!!  Keep up the good work and good luck with your business,  E

Tree roots can do some really bad damage and be a heavy expense to repair.

I think the tree has been blamed unfairly - it doesn't make sense that this is due to root damage.  I'm no expert, but it looks like the curb dropped away, rather than the walk rising up.  I agree with Dick Greenburg, above - water is the culprit, somehow washing away whatever was under the curb portion.  It's purely a guess, but we have a lot of cracking with movement here in CO, and it's almost always due to water issues.

BTW - you mentioned that it had been repaired a few years ago and has 'already' cracked.  Around here, that kind of damage can been seen in only a few months, as my front steps will attest.  Bleah. I hate cracked concrete!

Tom, There are 2 types of Concrete, Wet Concrete and Cracked Concrete. This looks to me like the pad moved with the curb, It looks like a monolithic pour and you can see that the part of the curb ontop of the asphalt did not move, It appears like in the sides water is getting in under the slab, making the soild expand and moving it up. water is not getting under the asphalt area so that has not moved.

I hope this helps

Tom: There has been a lot of earth movement over the past few years and that maybe what is causes the problem. Sinkholes are becoming predominant.

Ok Ive spent way too much time looking at picture and trying to determine a reason !!! No idea.

Mystery cracks are easy to find in our area. I know the tree roots are a factor a lot of times.  I also think that sometimes they don't tamp the soil well and I think they pour concrete when it is  cold and don't put anything in it to protect it from freezing and also don't work it out well. I do see a lot of cracks even in relatively new construction.

Betty

Tom

Well here I was waiting for the mystery answer. So what IS this all about? Or is it yet to be determined? You have to wonder how many times this is going to be fixed only to crack again

Jeff

Tom,

I like a good mystery ... however Brian Burke spoke with confidence on the subject.   I will check back for a definite answer. Interesting post.

those pesky trees always causing issues arent they lol

Have a good wkd

Roots could be part of the issue but looks like some sort of settling due to water underneath the front slab.