Without pics or measurements it's impossible to give an accurate answer. Shrinkage cracks are standard. As it cures, concrete shrinks about 1/16" per ten feet. The mandatory government warranty programme Construction Performance Guidelines I work under say the following about poured concrete foundation wall cracks: "1.11 CONDITION CAST-IN-PLACE CONCRETE FOUNDATION WALL IS CRACKED Acceptable Performance/Condition Cracks resulting from normal shrinkage are acceptable; cracks in excess of 6 mm in width are not acceptable. Warranty One-Year Work and Materials Cracks resulting from normal shrinkage of materials caused by drying after construction are excluded from the statutory warranty. Action Walls with cracks exceeding the acceptable condition shall be repaired. Remarks Concrete walls naturally crack during curing due to shrinkage. Where lateral or vertical movement is evident, further investigation may be required. The colour and texture of a repaired area may not match the surrounding concrete"

The thing about bitumen, mopped on "damp proofing", is that it tends to work as an effective exterior drainage plane, so long as: o It is not damaged during backfilling. A back hoe that drops its bucket against the concrete wall and bitumen coating during backfill will probably scrape off (or at leaste damage) the coating; o There are no cracks in the exterior concrete foundation/basement wall surface. If cracks take place, chances are very high that the bitumen will also crack (why wouldn't it?) with the result of a direct path for water infiltration. Clay and other expansive soil types expand with moisture and contract when dry. This continual annual "heave" is one good source of foundation wall cracking. If the hydrostatic level of the soil is high, the subsurface water pressure will force water into the foundation walls and any cracks which may be present over time. A plastic membrane, properly installed, will help to mitigate or prevent much of this since it is not impacted by concrete wall cracking (unless there is major structural movement or failure). You originally expressed concerns about concrete cracking. If you are truly concerned about cracking and movement, bitumen damp-proofing will not provide the necessary protection. Only a plastic membrane applied to a foundation properly designed and constructed for your soils conditions, including proper back fill, may do so. Good luck with your project.

Ichabod, the rep at my local Home Depot strongly advised to use DAP Alex caulk only for surfaces that would be painted. But he hadn't ever heard of it failing in outdoor use, so thanks for the recommendation. By "concrete crack", do you mean the rightmost crack in the last picture? Just so water doesn't get inside it and make the issue worse. So far everyone who's looked at it has recommended patching it, so I didn't even think about just leaving it alone.

Hairline cracks in a newly poured concrete foundation walls are normal and are caused due to concrete shrinkage during curing stages. Hairline cracks 1/16" wide vertical cracks. Some vertical cracks 1/8" or wider could be a sign of distress and they might have to be evaluated.