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Concrete Construction Article PDF - Construction Joints For Multistory Structures
Concrete Construction Article PDF - Construction Joints For Multistory Structures
multistory structures
Where to locate them, how to form them
BY BRUCE SUPRENANT
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING & MECHANICS
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
TAMPA, FLORIDA
To avoid cracking from settlement, Construction joints in floor slabs are pulled, the strips will pull loose
pour concrete in columns and walls usually are made of 2-by materials from forms during stripping and
at least 2 hours before placing con- or plywood (Figure 2). Wall or beam can be left in the concrete longer to
crete in slabs or beams framing into bulkheads are usually made of ply- protect edges from spalling. Make
them (Ref. 3). wood. Shear keys, if required, can be sure that rebars behind the rustica-
Designing concrete members for made by beveling 2x4 or 2x6 lumber tion strip have adequate cover.
lateral forces may require special (Figure 3).
design treatment of construction Ho ri zontal construction joints in Construction joint surface
joints. Shear keys, diagonal dowels, walls and columns are generally preparation
or the shear transfer method (ACI spaced one story apart. Use chalk After placing and curing the con-
Code, Section 11.7) may be used. lines or nails driven on the inside of crete and removing the bulkhead,
wall forms to mark the joint loca- the hardened concrete joint surface
How to form construction tion. Or use a wood strip nailed to must be prepared. ACI 318-83 re-
joints the forms. quires that:
Deciding where to put construc- For architectural concrete, more “Surface of concrete construction
tion joints is only half the job. The care is needed to get straight and joints shall be cleaned and laitance
other half is forming them correctly level horizontal joints (Ref. 4). Nail a removed. Immediately before new
and cleaning the joint surface be- 1-inch wood strip to the inside face concrete is placed, all construction
fore the next concrete placement. of the forms near the top (Figure 4). joints shall be wetted and standing
Bulkheads for construction joints Put tie rods about 4 inches below water removed.”
are normally formed with wood, al- the joint to support forms for the Use stiff wire brushes, scabblers,
though expanded metal mesh has next lift. Place concrete to a level waterblasters, or sandblasters to
also been used (See Concrete Con- slightly above the bottom of the clean surfaces and remove laitance.
struction, July 1983, page 552; No- s t ri p. Remove the strip after con- Expanded metal mesh bulkheads
vember 1986, page 966; Fe b ru a ry crete has set enough to hold its posi- left in place also provide a good
1988, page 214). Forming costs are tion. When forms are set for the next rough bonding surface (Ref. 5).
high because rebar has to pass lift, locate another row of ties just The 1977 ACI Code required ap-
through the bulkhead. Wood mem- above the joint. Ties above and be- plication of a neat cement paste to
bers are notched or a gap is left in low the joint hold the form tightly vertical construction joint surfaces.
the plane of the rebar. Leaving a gap against concrete in the lower lift. This procedure was not always
allows each bulkhead board to be Don’t overlap sheathing more than practical and is no longer required.
positioned and removed without an inch over the lower lift. This also
putting pressure on the bar. Exces- helps prevent leakage. Team effort
sive pressure might cause green Grooves or rustications are a good Understanding the why, where,
concrete to spall or crack. Because way to hide horizontal joints (Figure and how of construction joints for
they are cut to fit and usually dam- 5). Rustication strips are best at- multistory structures involves a
aged when stripped, bulkheads tached with double-headed nails team approach. The architect wants
a re n’t reusable. d ri ven from the outside. After nails joints that are consistent with the
SHEAR WALLS NEED CONSTRUCTION JOINTS TOO
References tute, Box 19150, Detroit, Michigan, 5. Building Movements and Joints,
1. Monks, W. L., and B. M. Sadgrove, 48219, 1987. Portland Cement Association, 5420
“The Effect of Construction Joints on 3. Specifications for Structural Con- Old Orchard Road, Skokie, Illinois,
the Performance of Reinforced Con- crete for Buildings, ACI 301-84, (Re- 60077, 1982.
crete Beams,” Technical Report, Ce- vised 1985), American Concrete Insti-
ment and Concrete Association (Lon- tute, 1986.
don), 1973.
4. Formwork for Concrete, Publication PUBLICATION#C880577
2. Building Code Requirements for Re- SP-4, Fourth Edition, (Revised second
inforced Concrete, ACI 318-83, (Re- printing), American Concrete Institute, Copyright © 1988, The Aberdeen Group
vised 1986), American Concrete Insti- 1981. All rights reserved