EP #147: Concrete Cracks Don’t Lie - ASR, AAR, and What’s Really Happening Inside Your Concrete

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EPISODE SUMMARY
Concrete cracks are often brushed off as shrinkage, restraint, or “just part of concrete.”
That mindset gets structures in trouble.

In this episode of the Concrete Logic Podcast, Seth Tandett is joined by Dr. Jon Belkowitz to break down alkali-silica reaction (ASR) and alkali-aggregate reaction (AAR)—what they are, how they develop, and why they continue to surprise engineers, contractors, and owners decades after first being documented.

They walk through the history of ASR, how it shows up in real structures, why it’s often misdiagnosed, and how modern testing and prevention strategies are improving—but still imperfect. The core message is simple: cracks are symptoms, not root causes, and ignoring them is how durability problems turn into long-term failures.

This is a practical, field-informed conversation for anyone responsible for designing, specifying, building, or maintaining concrete structures.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• Why ASR remains one of the most misunderstood concrete durability issues
• The difference between ASR and AAR—and why the distinction matters
• How reaction-driven cracking differs from typical shrinkage or restraint cracking
• When ASR damage can accelerate faster than expected
• How ASR is identified and diagnosed in real structures
• Where current ASR testing methods work—and where they fall short
• Why prevention is still more reliable than remediation
• How concrete professionals should think about cracks before they spread

CHAPTERS
00:00 – Why concrete cracks should never be ignored
02:11 – ASR vs. AAR: definitions and mechanisms
04:50 – How ASR damages concrete over time
07:47 – Identifying and diagnosing ASR in the field
10:08 – Testing methods and prevention strategies
13:19 – The future of ASR management in concrete structures

GUEST INFO
Dr. Jon Belkowitz
Intelligent Concrete
[email protected]


CONCRETE LOGIC PARTNERS

INTELLIGENT CONCRETE
Concrete not behaving the way it should?

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CREDITS

Producers: Jodi Tandett, Maya Richardson & Concrete Logic Media

Music by Mike Dunton: https://www.mdunton.com/

WHERE TO FIND SETH
https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-tandett/
https://www.youtube.com/@concretelogicpodcast
https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com
[email protected]