What is an Expansion Joint?
An Expansion Joint is a mid-structure separation designed to relieve stress on building materials caused by building movement induced by the following factors:
-> thermal expansion and contraction due to temperature variations,
-> sway caused by wind
-> seismic events
-> static load deflection
-> live load deflection
An expansion joint or movement joint is an assembly designed to safely absorb the temperature-induced expansion and contraction of construction materials, to absorb vibration, to hold parts together, or to allow movement due to ground settlement or earthquakes.
They are commonly found between sections of buildings, bridges and other structures.
Throughout the year, building faces, concrete slabs will expand and contract due to the warming and cooling through seasonal variation, or due to other heat sources. Before expansion joint gaps were built into these structures, they would crack under the stress induced.
So to prevent the cracks and to get better architectural view expansion joint is necessary to all big buildings like the shopping mall, car parks, big offices, hotels, airports, railway station, stadium, hospitals etc.
Expansion Joints are used for many important architectural structures that specifically have a requirement of these joints. Buildings especially high rises are subject to many factors like a thermal gain & loss, wind velocity, weather, seismic activity, etc. all these things can damage the building even though the construction is faultless.
