Effects of Creep

Reinforced concrete beams subjected to creep undergo increased deflection. This may result in further bending of the beam, widening existing cracks, and forming new cracks. 

In the case of eccentrically loaded, very slender reinforced concrete columns, creep induces deflection, which leads to column buckling.

For indeterminate structures, such as at the junction of concrete columns and beams, stress concentrations induced by shrinkage, temperature variations, or movement of supports may be relieved by creep in concrete, resulting in fewer cracks.

On the contrary, in mass concrete, such as dams, the chances of crack formations in the interior of the structure increase due to concrete's creep.

In high-rise buildings, the outer and inner columns may experience differential creep, causing shifts in the connecting partition panels and resulting in cracks within these panels.

Similarly, the external cladding rigidly affixed to a reinforced concrete column that undergoes creep is prone to develop cracks.

Lastly,  prestressed concrete beams made without high tensile steel, when subjected to creep, tend to lose their prestressing forces over time, leading to failure.