Cracks and their role in the life cycle of building materials

Cracks as active elements are presented in all building structures. Cracks define a spontaneous internal restructuring of the structure of the construction material. This is a necessary condition for the adaptation of the system to the influence of unfavorable factors. The presence of active elements in the material of the structure-system contributes to its structural development, which indicates the creative role of cracks. Upon reaching the maximum variety of the structure, cracks-creators are able to develop to cracks of destruction. Cracks-destroyers should be considered as open complex self-organizing systems with their own life cycle. The predominance of the goal of the new crack-system over the goal of the existence of the structure-system leads to the failure of the structure as a basic system.