WHAT IS AN EXPANSION JOINT?

An expansion joint is an empty space, free of any material between two parts of a
structure. It goes all the way up the structure allowing each part to move freely
without interference.

The size of an expansion joint depends on what deformations are possible in the
construction. Whether standard or seismic, an expansion joint should allow
horizontal, vertical and shear movements.

CAUSES OF MOVEMENTS
• Concrete removal

• Expansion and contraction of the concrete structure (temperature changes)

• Settlement of the structure

• Movements generated by the environment (wind, vibration)

• Earthquakes
•
HOW TO CHOOSE AN EXPANSION JOINT?
• Location (floor, wall, façade, ceiling)

• Initial gap

• Expected movement

• Expected load/passage

• Waterproofing requirement

• Flush or inserted installation

• Type of finish

• Fire resistance

• Cost
ACOMPLETE RANGE OF Expansion Joint

JOINT COVERS
To protect and cover expansion joints (flat and angle) on façades, floors, walls and
ceilings.

VEDAFEU® C BACKER RODS

Officially tested and validated for joint gaps from 10 to 200 mm.

VEDAFEU® N BLANKETS
Officially tested and validated for joint gaps up to 840 mm with +/- 50%
movement.

STANDARD FLOOR JOINTS

Technical joints with aluminum corner caps and flexible inserts.

CAR PARK FLOOR JOINTS

Watertight joints for car parks with steel side plates and flexible inserts.

JOINTS FOR FLEXIBLE FLOORS

Special joints for use in flexible floor coverings.

STRUCTURAL WORK RANGE

Plastic parts and profiles for the calibration of vertical and horizontal
reinforcement
FLEXIBLE PROFILES
Flexible profiles adjusted for fast and economic closure of expansion
joints.

FAÇADE JOINTS
Technical joints to close façade, wall and roof joints.

CONTROL JOINTS
Sealed application. In metal and flexible insert or coextruded PVC .

CONTROL JOINTS
Adhesive application. In metal and flexible insert or co-extruded PVC.

ROOF JOINTS
Technical joints to close roof expansion joints.

WATERSTOPS
Joints in concrete reinforcement, expansion, partitioning, etc.

NOSING
Non-slip grooved aluminum or aluminum with nonslip insert.
 EXPANSION JOINTS
For horizontal and vertical applications.

JOINT COVERS

 Clip affixed aluminum or PVC joint

covers. All RAL colors available including natural wood, gold, silver,
bronze, brass, and any other special colors.
 Extruded, drilled, countersunk joint covers up to 320 mm wide.
 Adhesive or folded joint covers in stainless steel, galvanized steel, mill
finish or anodized aluminum, or powder coated with a thickness of 5/10 to
30/10.

FIRE STOP SYSTEMS

Applications: expansion joints, heads of

walls, floor nosing’s, curtain walls.

 VEDAFEU C fire stop backer rods which

have been officially tested and validated for
joint gaps from 10 to 200 mm.
 VEDAFEU N fire stop blankets which have
been officially tested and validated for joint
gaps up to 840 mm. Movement +/- 50%.

USES
 Schools, hospitals, shopping centers, industrial buildings and housing,
airports, railway stations, leisure centers, car parks, etc.
 Some picture in site visit in “Plus Tower I” Location: Downtown, Beirut

building under construction

Horizontal Joint Vertical Joint

EXPANSION JOINT SYSTEMS

• the type of movement a building is

subject to impacts the joint.

• standard expansion joint allows for

range of motion of ±25% of nominal
joint width

• expansion joint system specified to seismic standards supports

you are designing, however, to the minimum and maximum sizes – your joint needs to
cover the worst case
forces on buildings:

• thermal expansion/contraction
from temperature variations
• moisture (causes expansion)
• sway caused by wind
• differential movement (seismic
events, etc.)

1. floors

2. interior walls

3. ceilings

4. exterior walls

5. floor to wall

6. wall to wall

7. ceiling to wall

8. roof
 DIFFERENT JOINTS FOR DIFFERENT GEOMETRY

• located wherever there is a change in building directional

expansion

• separate large masses into smaller sections

• the joint should slice (and separate) the entire building

section