VARIOUS TYPES OF JOINTS IN CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION | LCETED

 

VARIOUS TYPES OF JOINTS

 

The site engineer is required to complete the work as per the drawing requirement to the minimum possible time. It is a fact that the entire work can not be completed in just a single pour due to the constraint of non-availability of resources as per requirements, due to technical reasons i.e considering thermal strain and expansion & contraction properties of the structure. Generally, there are the following types of joints are to be handled during Civil construction.

1)  Construction Joints

2)  Expansion Joint And Contraction Joint

3)  Cold Joint

 

CONSTRUCTION JOINTS:

Construction joints occur wherever concreting is stopped or delayed and when the fresh concrete placed against hardened concrete subsequently cannot be integrated into previous by vibrating. Horizontal construction joints occur at levels between two successive lift of concrete, whereas vertical construction joints occur where the structure of such length that is not feasible to place the entire length in one continuous operation.

Construction joints are required by the construction operation. Construction joint locations depend on the sequence of concreting operations or are part of the contract drawings. Construction joint location needs to be planned ahead of placing of concrete and should adhere to those pre-identified locations. Generally, they mark the top of a lift, the end of a monolith, or the end of a day's work. They should be properly located and well bonded.

The following factors are to be considered for the location and treatment of construction joints to make them perfect and avoid cold joints.

·       When the work is to be interrupted, horizontal and vertical construction joints and bonding keys should be located in conformity with the relevant contract specifications/drawings.

·       Construction joints should be located in the floor slab and beams near the middle of the span (where the shear is least) and should be vertical in the absence of provisions in construction drawings.  In a column, the joint should be formed about 75 mm below the lowest soffit of the beams framing into it.

·       Because construction joints frequently leak and degrade in the weather, as far as possible, they should be avoided. Before fresh concrete is placed. Existing concrete surface must be made rough by hacking or green cutting.

·       The rough surface should be thoroughly wetted for about two hours and should be dried and coated with 1:1 freshly mixed cement – sand slurry, immediately before pacing the new concrete.

GREEN CUTTING FOR CONSTRUCTION JOINT TREATMENT:

Where a higher degree of quality of construction joint treatment is required as per contract specification/or drawings, green cutting should be applied. The entire construction joint should be treated by Green cutting using an air/water jet at a suitable pressure to remove the laitance from the green concrete surface to receive a subsequent pour of concrete over it. A suitable, approved brand of surface retarder should be used to  retard the setting time of green concrete to a depth of 5 to 8 mm. Green cutting should b done only after the final set of concrete so that the additional water available from the air-water jet used for green cutting on the surface does not harm the quality of the concrete. Prior to the commencement of the green cutting operation, a mockup should be made for each grade of concrete, with different types of cement and different kinds of exposure of the proposed construction joint.

 

EXPANSION   AND   CONTRACTION   JOINTS:

 

Expansion and contraction joints should be strict as per the relevant construction drawings only. Line and level of water – stop and expansion boards, if any at these joints should be safeguarded from damage or dislocation during the placing and consolidation of concrete.

 

 If you find 

 

This information helpful, please share it.

 

Thanks! For reading the article.