Presented by:-

Dr. Zack Lim

Principal of Academy of Concrete Technology
Managing Director of Zacklim Flat Floor Specialist Sdn Bhd
 Extracted from website: Is this right?

Above website mistakes

1. This is not an expansion joints but contraction joints.
2. Placing around columns are isolation joints, not expansion joints.

Another rule of thumb: Joints to be 36 times the slab thickness

Eg. 100mm x 36 times = 3.6m spacing
 1. To release stress (permit movement) in order to avoid cracks.
2. To control floor cracks to avoid random cracking.
3. Impossible to complete jointless slab (eg.10,000m2) within a day.

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 Results due to lack of design understanding on joints.

No isolation Edge is irregular Crack due to left-over Late saw cut or

insufficient depth
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 Joint defects due to poor workmanship.

Inferior side formwork Lack of vibration Poor joint finish Presentable joint
 1. Construction joints
a) Slab on grade
b) Suspended slab

2. Contraction joint
a) Plain contraction joints
b) Dowelled contraction joints
c) Dowelled contraction joint with bottom mesh continuous

3. Movement joints
a) Expansion joints

4. Isolation joints
a) Slab on grade only

5. Cold joints

6. Curling at joint

7. Sealant
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1. Construction joints for slab on grade

• Joints formed between slabs are called Construction Joints.

• Also assist to relieve stress.

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 Importance of detailing Dowel Bars Design
To ensure bars are
To facilitate movement, dowels Length of dowel?
debonded, coat bars with
must be straight, well-aligned. 400 – 450 mm
bituminous compound,
To prevent transition settlement. Spacing: 300 mm
one half of the dowels

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1a) Construction joints for slab on grade
(With plate dowels)

Two way lateral movement

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1b) Construction joints for slab on grade
(Without dowels – key joint)
2. Contraction Joint (saw-cut joint).
a. Contraction joint is to control the location of cracking by
creating a plane of weakness.
b. Also assist to relieve internal stress.

• As soon as the floor is hard enough and concrete

When to
does not ravel (chipped off) from the saw blade.
Cut?
• Normally 8 to 12 hrs after finishing.

• Saw-cuts width: 4mm to 6mm.

How Deep
• 30% for steel fibers.
to Cut?
• Usually 25% of the slab thickness.

What is • Rule of thumb: < 36 times the slab thickness

the Spacing? or wider subject to dosage of reinforcement.

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Note: Only do saw-cuts to slab-on-grade only.
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2a) Plain contraction joint

2b) Dowelled contraction joint

 2c) Dowelled contraction joint with bottom mesh continuous
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 For narrow and long strip slab
How far apart should a contraction joint be?
Aspect ratio of width/length = 1:1.5
7.5 m

5m Contraction
joint

10 m 13 m

Potential
5m transverse
crack

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Narrow strip slab, placing dowel basket at contraction joints
7.5 m

Contraction
5m joint

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1c) Construction joints for suspended/elevated slab

Is saw cut required on suspended slab?

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 Is saw cutting recommended for suspended
slab to mitigate cracking?
1.Firstly, for suspended floors, prohibited to cut the rebars.
If you cut, will it induce the cracking?

2. Effective depth of saw cut: 25% of slab thickness – likely to cut the re-bars.

Three examples
concrete cover: 30mm
200mm
thick slab

concrete cover: 30mm

Reinforcement position is incorrect – cover exceeded the code

concrete cover:70- 100mm

Reinforcement
 Case study
Saw cut proposed on suspended slab

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Tie bars Vs Dowel bars

Tie bars are installed to prevent the construction joints (longitudinal) from opening up.

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3a) Movement/Thermal expansion joint (Suspended & External slab)
DOWEL BAR
HALF LENGTH COATED
WITH BITUMEN ARMOUR JOINT
REBAR (THCK: 9mm x HIGH 25mm) ANCHOR STUD

250 mm

Armour joint with filler board

(external)
• Floor slabs expands during day and contract at night.
• For internal floors, concrete only shrinks, no flexible board required.
• How far apart should an expansion joint be designed?

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 Expansion/Movement Joint –Before and after

Upon completion – tight joint After 1 year – gap widened

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Traditional movement joint
Armoured joints Armoured joints
– flat bar – sinus

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 Movement joints – Slab-on-piles

▪ Armored joints are needed to relieve the

stresses caused by drying shrinkage.
▪ Needed for warehouse in lieu of angle
iron.
▪ No compressible filler board required
(only for external).
▪ Placed at every 50m to 70m apart.

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 Cracks already appeared, shall I proceed with saw cutting?

Too shallow or too late

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 Is filler board needed for armoured joints for internal
suspended floor?

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 Is expansion joints needed for slab on ground?

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 Column Manhole Round Pipe

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4) Isolation Joints – slab on grade
Allow vertical and horizontal movement between the
adjoining structure and the slab.
Isolate slab from columns, machine foundations, walls
and any protrusions.

Install compressible board around structure to relieve

stress.

Wrong to place bars below mesh Diagonal reinforced bars

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Suspended slab
5) CURLING of floor slab

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CURLING of floor slab

Curling at construction joint Curling at intersection joint Damaged at intersection joint

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 ▪ Cold joint is a weak joint resulted by earlier batch of
concrete laid has hardened and later batch of fresh
concrete supplied cannot intermix.

Causes
Disruption of concrete supply due to:
• Batching plant breakdown.
• Truck delivery problem.
• Concrete pump breakdown.

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Shrinkage at construction joint Apply sealant too early Apply sealant

• Delay applying as late as possible. • Type of sealant

• Hardness of sealant–Shore Hardness A
• Sealant must be apply during cool weather.

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 Q&A

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What is the maximum size floor slab can be
casted with acceptable cracks?
Jointed floors
Jointed floor has saw cuts joints generally spaced at 6m.
All contraction joints will allow shrinkage.
Reinforcement: mesh or fibres.
Concrete: Normal
Eg. Slab on grade ( can also be jointless)

Jointless floor
Jointless floor have construction joints between floor panels.
All construction joints will allow drying shrinkage.
Reinforcement: Fibres, Hybrid-mesh with fibres.
Concrete: Shrinkage compensating concrete.
Eg. Slab on piles