INTRODUCTION

 It is a structural discontinuity between deck to permit

relative translation or rotation.
 They are among the smaller elements of bridge
structure, but when they fail to function properly, can
create problem out of proportion.
 Whenever they become unable to accommodate the
movement, bridge elements experience overstress
that may result in damage to those members &
expansion joint themselves.
 Longitudinal deck joints shall be provided only where
necessary to modify the effect of differential
lateral/vertical movements.
ROLE OF EXPANSION JOINTS

 Deck joint shall consist of components arranged to

accommodate the translation & rotation of structure
at the joint.
 It has to be strong enough to withstand the knocking
of the wheel of vehicles passing over the bridge,
therefore, must resist dynamic forces causing fatigue
and wear.
 The joints shall be detailed to Prevent damage to the
structure from water, deicing chemicals & roadway
debris.
 Expansion joint systems must remain watertight to
protect the bridge superstructure and substructure
from corrosion.
FORCE EFFECTS & MOVEMENTS

 Material properties of structural members, including

coefficient of thermal expansion, modulus of elasticity
& Poisson’s ratio.
 Effect of creep & shrinkage.
 Effective temperature variation in the structure.
 Sizes of structural components.
 Construction tolerances.
 Method & sequence of construction.
 Skew & curvatures.
 Resistance of joints to movements.
 Tilt, settlement and movement of supports.
 Static & dynamic response of structure.
DESIGN

 Design must be clearly set out for the desired operating

standards and define the total movements related to the
imposed loadings, temperature range, deck shortening
and rotation.
 None of component fails at serviceability limit.
 It is formed continuously from parapet to parapet taking
into account footpaths, curbs, central reserves and skew
angles.
 The fixing and bonding of different types of joints should
not cause or propagate damage to the road surfacing or
the supporting bridge structure.
 The aggregated longitudinal movement and skew
movement should be used to select the correct size and
performance of the joint.
 Incorporate correct technical solution of manufacturer or
supplier into the working drawings.
MATERIALS

 Use materials, which are durable and offer a

maintenance-free operation.
 Select materials to ensure that they elastically,
thermally & chemically compatible.
 Any elements subject to wear must be replaceable
using simple techniques.
 It may be expedient to replace bridge expansion joints
prematurely while other maintenance work, such as
re-surfacing, is carried out so that future road closures
are minimized.
TYPES OF JOINTS

TYPES OF EXPANSION JOINTS

Buried Joint

Asphaltic Plug Joint

Finger Joints

Elastomeric Concrete Joint

Nosings
Strip Seal Expansion Joint Systems

Cantilever Comb or Tooth

Armored Joint
Steel Plate Expansion Joint Systems

Reinforced Elastomeric
TYPES OF JOINTS

BURIED JOINT

 One or more components may be used to form

continuity of the waterproofing and surfacing.
 These can comprise of proprietary flashings and
straps with bridging plates or similar.
 Movement ranges generally ±10 mm.
TYPES OF JOINTS

BURIED JOINT
TYPES OF JOINTS

BURIED JOINT
TYPES OF JOINTS
ASPHALTIC PLUG

 Asphaltic Expansion Joint is a hot applied field molded and constructed expansion joint system that is primarily composed of a uniquely formulated polymer modified asphalt binder that is mixed with specially selected and processed aggregate.
 It can be used for both expansion and fixed end joints at abutments or piers in many bridge types including concrete slab, concrete beam, prestressed concrete and steel beam, either simple or mulitspan, in both new construction and rehabilitation projects.
TYPES OF JOINTS
ASPHALTIC PLUG

 Proprietary systems comprising of layers of specially modified binders and aggregate to provide a homogeneous expansion medium and smooth running surface.
 Movement ranges for standard grade modified binders up to ± 20 mm.
TYPES OF JOINTS

ASPHALTIC PLUG
TYPES OF JOINTS

ASPHALTIC PLUG
TYPES OF JOINTS

ELASTOMERIC CONCRETE/
CONCRETE ELASTOMERIC WITH
METALRUNNERS CAST INTO DECK

 A combination of pre-fabricated machine extruded

rails with rubber seals between them.
 Can be single element or multi-element. Permantly
fixed to the reinforcement of the structure.
 Movement upto 80 mm for single element and up to
1000 mm for multi-element.
TYPES OF JOINTS

ELASTOMERIC CONCRETE/
CONCRETE ELASTOMERIC WITH
METALRUNNERS CAST INTO DECK
TYPES OF JOINTS

ELASTOMERIC CONCRETE/
CONCRETE ELASTOMERIC WITH
METALRUNNERS CAST INTO DECK
TYPES OF JOINTS

STRIP SEAL EXPANSION JOINT SYSTEMS/

ELASTOMERIC WITH METAL RUNNERS RESIN ENCAPSULATED
 Provide superior watertight performance and longevity over
bolt-down, segmental and pourable expansion joint
systems.
 Because of this proven performance, this Joint Systems
have become the overwhelming choice of owners and
specifying engineers.
 Precision extruded metal rails set between special resins
forming combined nosings and bed, stuck down to the
structural concrete and surfacing. Incorporating various
sizes of watertight seals fitted between the rails.
 Movement range upto 150 mm.
TYPES OF JOINTS

STRIP SEAL EXPANSION JOINT SYSTEMS/

ELASTOMERIC WITH METAL RUNNERS RESIN ENCAPSULATED
TYPES OF JOINTS

CANTILEVER COMB OR TOOTH

 A prefabricated precision made joint consisting

broadly of two sets of finger plates set or fixed across
the joint gap with a separate flexible waterproof
membrane sheet clamped beneath the plates.
 Movement range: standard 440 mm, non-standard
1000 mm.
TYPES OF JOINTS

CANTILEVER COMB OR TOOTH

TYPES OF JOINTS

CANTILEVER COMB OR TOOTH

TYPES OF JOINTS

FINGER JOINTS

 These Joint will handle thermal movements of the

decks, creep, shrinkage, rotations and vibrations.
 These Joint are capable of supporting heavy and
repetitive traffic loadings compliant with the
requirements of AASHTO and AS5100.4, with
maximum comfort and minimum noise generation.  
 These joints will provide an assurance of water
tightness and resistance to debris ingress.
 Superior Ride.
TYPES OF JOINTS

FINGER JOINTS

 High resistance to fatigue due to

fixity by pre-stressed tie-bolts.
 High resistance to fatigue due to
fixity by pre-stressed tie-bolts.
 Superior resistance to corrosion.
 Removal and replacement of joint
or segments without destruction
of the structure.
 Low maintenance.
TYPES OF JOINTS

FINGER JOINTS

 These joints are capable of movements up to 500mm.

 These joints are made of three main components:
1. Metallic element 
2. Pre-stressed Tie Bolts
3. Elastomeric  Profile 
TYPES OF JOINTS

NOSINGS

 Insitu resins or cementitious mixtures placed either

side of the bridge deck air gap to produce firm edges
and protect the surfacing. Complete with watertight
extruded compression seal or sealant.
 Movement ranges: upto 50 mm with preformed seals
and upto 12 mm with poured sealant to BS5212.
TYPES OF JOINTS

NOSINGS
TYPES OF JOINTS

ARMORED JOINT
 It can withstand the
demanding requirements of
bridge/highway installations.
 Satisfy the ASTM standard
specification D3542 for Elastic
Joint Seals for Bridges.
 In addition to highway and
bridge applications, can be
used in spillways, dams, ramps
and pedestrian overpasses etc.
TYPES OF JOINTS

REINFORCED ELASTOMERIC
 A joint prefabricated to exact lengths and widths,
comprising of rubber surrounding metal elements,
bearing plates and reinforcement. Placed onto flate
beds with resin strips either side as a protection and
to provide a smooth running surface. Bolted directly to
the structural concrete or to a prefabricated metal
cradle set into the structure during the construction of
the deck and ballast walls.
 Movement range: upto 350 mm. Different widths of
carpet pose limitations on movement accomodation.
Consult supplier.
TYPES OF JOINTS

REINFORCED ELASTOMERIC
TYPES OF JOINTS

STEEL PLATE EXPANSION JOINT SYSTEMS

 Such as finger joint assemblies and sliding plate and

armor joint systems, are still specified on many
bridge projects due to proven long-term structural
performance.
 These joint systems are also convenient to install on
bridge rehabilitation projects requiring a shallow joint
depth and/or staged construction.
 TYPES OF JOINTS

ION JOINT SYSTEMS

SION
TYPES OF JOINTS

STEEL PLATE EXPANSION JOINT SYSTEMS

 Its drainage system is a flexible water drainage

system designed for use with open dam expansion
joint systems. The D.S. Brown Drainage Trough
System acts as part of the bridge drainage system by
collecting runoff and channeling it into rigid
downspouts, thus protecting the steel structure
below from corrosion, waterways from pollution,
and/or traffic from falling aggregate and roadway
runoff.
TYPES OF JOINTS

STEEL PLATE EXPANSION JOINT SYSTEMS

SELECTION OF JOINTS

Calculate Movement Range in

Longitudinal direction

Calculate Movement Range in

Transverse direction

Calculate expansion gap

Select Joint Type

SELECTION OF JOINTS

Movement Range in Longitudinal direction:

ΔShrinkage = εShrinkage * L
εShrinkage= 0.002 -------AASHTO LRFD 5.4.2.3

Δcreep = εcreep * L
εcreep = Pe/(A *1/2 Ec)
Δtemp = a * L * change in temp.
Change in temp. = (Tsetting-Tmax/Tmin)
Movement range= [50%ΔShrinkage+50% Δcreep+ Δtemp]*1.2
SELECTION OF JOINTS

Movement Range in Transverse direction:

ΔShrinkage = εShrinkage * W
εShrinkage= 0.002 -------AASHTO LRFD 5.4.2.3

Δcreep = εcreep * W
εcreep = Pe/(A *1/2 Ec)
Δtemp = a * W * change in temp.
Change in temp. = (Tsetting-Tmax/Tmin)
Movement range= [50%ΔShrinkage+50% Δcreep+ Δtemp]*1.2
SELECTION OF JOINTS

CALCULATION FOR EXPANSION GAP :

Max Expansion= a*Possible Rise in temp*L

Max Contraction= a*Possible fall in temp*L
Possible Rise in temp = Tmax-Tsetting
Possible fall in temp = Tmin-Tsetting
Sls Expansions =1.2* Max Expansion (AASHTO L.R.F.D TABLE 3.4.1-1)
GAP = SLS EXPANSION + 20mm.
(Min. Gap, As recommended by "Concrete Bridge Practice" by "V.K.Raina", Article32.2)
SELECTION OF JOINTS