


Throughout the year, building faces, concrete slabs, and pipelines 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. The expansion joint can be as simple as a caulked separation between two sections of the same materials.

Expansion joints are used in pavements to provide for thermal and moisture-induced movement of the slab. However, these joints may also be required in areas or rooms subject to large temperature fluctuations. Designers should satisfy themselves that there is a definite need for expansion joints, thereby minimizing their unnecessary installation and the relatively wide gap required between panels.