Joints in Building

Om D. Rajopadhyaya
Visiting Faculty, KU
 Introduction
• All materials expand/contract due to
difference in temperature, moisture level
• In a continuous structure cumulative effect of
such changes may be considerable
• Allowance for free movement are required to
prevent structure from failure
• "Breaking the continuity of a structure" is
required by introducing joints to sub-divide
the building into smaller units
 Type of joints
• Expansion joints
• Isolation joints
• Contraction joints
• Sliding joints
• Construction joints
 Expansion Joints
• Width of gap = 10-40 mm, spacing <= 30 m.
• Break uneven plan into regular rectangles by
providing expansion joints
• Materials used:
– Joint filler (readily compressive material that can
regain 75% of original thickness when pressure is
released – bitumen, cork strips, rubber, expanded
plastic etc.)
– Sealing compound (mastic or hot-applied bitumen)
– Water bar (rubber/PVC/metal)
• Isolated footing may be combined for both ends
Water Bars
Expansion Joints
 Isolation Joints
• Similar to expansion
joints
• Provided when
– one portion of a building
is taller than the other
– Soil pressure underneath
is different and so is
settlement under
different parts of the
building
– Part of a building rests
on different soil stratum
 Contraction Joints
• separations/planes of weakness introduced to localize shrinkage
movements
• They may be of any of the following types:
• Complete Contraction Joint— bond between adjacent sections of a
structure may be broken completely.
• Partial Contraction - it is sometimes convenient to continue the
reinforcement across the joint. Due to presence of reinforcement
the movement at these partial contraction joints is usually very
small.
• Dummy Joints—Dummy type contraction joints are used more
particularly in thin sections of concrete. A plane of weakness is
created by forming a groove in either or each of the surfaces of the
concrete, the total depth of the groove being one-third to one-fifth
of the thickness of the section.
Contraction Joints
 Sliding Joints
• When variations in temperature, moisture
content or loading result in tendency for one part
of a structure to move in a plane at right angles
to the plane of another part it is necessary to
provide a slip plane between the two parts thus
enabling freedom of movement in both planes.
• Sliding joints are usually formed by applying a
layer of plaster to one of the surfaces and
finishing it smooth before the other is cast on it
or by any other approved suitable method.
 Construction Joints
• Joint installed at location where construction stops for
any reason and when the location of stoppage does
not coincide with the planned location of an expansion
joint or contraction joint
• Should be placed near the plane of minimum shear
• Joints should be at 90o to the axis of member
• key of tongue and groove should be provided
• If new concrete laid within 48 hrs, face is cleaned and a
coat of cement mortar is applied
• After 48 hrs, face of old concrete is roughened by
chiseling, cleaned from scum/loose aggregate/other
materials, wetted coat of mortar is applied
 Location of construction joints
• Slabs – vertical and parallel to main
reinforcement for 1-way slab and middle of
span for 2-way slabs
• Beams – vertical and within middle third of
the span
• Columns – horizontal and 75 mm below
lowest soffit of beam
• Walls – at top of plinth, top/bottom of
windows
Construction Joints

for columns