Why Concrete Cracks in North Texas — and How to Prevent It

Drive through any neighborhood in Garland, Mesquite, Plano or Allen and you will see cracked and heaved driveways. The cause is the same everywhere in North Texas: expansive clay soil.

The soil problem

Blackland Prairie clay swells when wet and shrinks when dry. Through a typical DFW year of spring storms and summer drought, the ground under a slab can move by inches. Concrete that was placed on poorly prepared subgrade with minimal reinforcement simply cannot handle it.

How to pour concrete that lasts

Lasting concrete in DFW comes down to four things.

• Subgrade preparation: remove soft soil, compact and, where needed, add select fill or stabilization.
• Moisture control: proper drainage and grading so water does not pool against or under the slab.
• Reinforcement: rebar or post-tension cables sized for the application, not just wire mesh.
• Joints and curing: control joints at the right spacing and a proper cure so the slab reaches full strength.

Replace or repair?

Surface cracks are often cosmetic. Heaving, settlement or cracks wider than a quarter inch usually mean replacement is the better investment. Aeroform Construction self-performs concrete across DFW — request a free estimate and we will assess your driveway, patio or slab honestly.