Linear Cracking
Reviewed by licensed engineers
Checked against its sources by licensed professional engineers on the previous site, where reviewers weren’t recorded by name.
On this page · 4 sections
Description
Linear cracks not associated with corner breaks or blowups that extend across the entire slab. Typically, these cracks divide an individual slab into two to four pieces. Often referred to as "panel cracking".
Problem
Roughness, allows moisture infiltration leading to erosion of base/subbase support, cracks will eventually spall and disintegrate if not sealed
Possible Causes
Usually a combination of traffic loading, thermal gradient curling, moisture stresses and loss of support.
Repair
Slabs with a single, narrow linear crack may be repaired by crack sealing. More than one linear crack generally warrants a full-depth patch.
Teaching this? Figures and worked examples are free to use with credit. Course reading lists
Cite this page
APA
Pavement Interactive. (2026, November 1). Linear cracking. HeadLight. Retrieved [the date you read it], from https://pavementinteractive.org/reference-desk/pavement-management/pavement-distresses/linear-cracking/
ASCE
Pavement Interactive. (2026). “Linear Cracking.” HeadLight, <https://pavementinteractive.org/reference-desk/pavement-management/pavement-distresses/linear-cracking/> ([the date you read it]).
BibTeX
@misc{pavint-linear-cracking,
author = {{Pavement Interactive}},
title = {Linear Cracking},
year = {2026},
publisher = {HeadLight},
howpublished = {\url{https://pavementinteractive.org/reference-desk/pavement-management/pavement-distresses/linear-cracking/}},
note = {Accessed [date]}
}