Architectural

Treatment for Joint

Gap
o Material & Techniques

o Treatment Methods

o New Treatment Methods

o Joint Covering Methods

o Proper Installation of Joints

o Remedies on Cracks

o Suppliers Products

Prepared By: Design Team- Architectural

Date: 08 August 2022

MATERIAL & TECHNIQUES
The gap of joints is never left open. It is filled with a compressible material so as to make it water
tight. The following materials are required to render the joints watertight.

1. Joint filler: Bitumen, bitumen containing cellular materials, cork strips, rubber, mineral fiber, expanded plastic, pith, coconut,
etc. are the usual joint filler materials. Joint filler should be compressible material tightly fitted in the gap. Being compressible,
they readily allow free expansion of adjacent parts. It should regain 75% of its original thickness when external pressure is
removed from it. They should be rigid, durable and resistant to decay.
2. Sealing compound: its function is to seal the joint against passage of moisture and to prevent the ingress of dust, grit or other
foreign matter into the joint. It should be tint less, non-toxic, insoluble and readily workable. Mastic or Hot-applied bituminous
sealing compound is mostly used for the purpose.

3. Water bars: the function bars are to seal the joints against passage of water. Water bars may be made of rubber, P.V.C., G.I.
sheet, copper, or aluminum sheets. G.I. Water bar should not be used under corrosive conditions. Width of water bar may be
varied from the 15cm. to 20cm.and thickness should not be less than 0.56 mm. they are given U or V fold to allow expansion
and contraction at the joints.
Treatment Methods
1. Walls

- Covered with covering sheets which may be of aluminum, hard board, AC sheet or timber plank.

- Normally A.C. sheet is used to cover the joint.

- The covering sheet is fixed to the wall on one side of the joint with screws and on the other side by screws through oval
shaped slots. The oval slots permit movement at the joint without causing any damage to the covering sheet.
2) Framed Walls: In case of framed structure, it is necessary to provide two frames, one on either side of the expansion joint.
The treatment of joints is similar to those given to the masonry wall expansion joint.
3) Roofing Slab: The gap of the joint should be sealed with a water bar and sealing compound. In order to prevent cracks in
the masonry above or below the expansion joint R.C.C or plain concrete bed blocks should be provided in the masonry
below the expansion joint in the slab.
New Treatment Methods
• 1) In this method a combination of fiber tape and adhesive material is used to cover the expansion joint.
New Treatment Methods
New Treatment Methods
• 2) Treatment by simple slab construction

• 3) Treatment using rubber gasket and aluminium sheet:

Joint Covering Methods

• Joint Covering for

Concrete Floors & Roof
Deck
• Joint Covers for Roof Joints

C-S Group Allway Metal C-S Group Flexible Seal

(Aluminum Roof Cover)
• Joint Covers for Roof Joints

Seismic Roof Cover Seismic Roof Cover

for Canopies
• Joint Covers for Parapet Walls
• Joint Details for Pre-cast
Exterior Panels
• Joint Details for Pre-cast
Exterior Panels
• Special Seismic Expansion
Joint Detail
Proper Installation of Joints
1) The expansion joints in the floor should be straight and should align, without offset, with expansion joints in vertical planes
such as double columns and walls.

2) The expansion joint separation should not be used as a place for tolerance build-up from other construction activities.

3) The expansion joint gap should have a consistent width throughout. If the gap is cast at a temperature other than the
specified mean temperature, and/or post-tensioned concrete is used, the adjustment in the gap width may be needed to
ensure that the specified joint has the specified movement capability. A design example published in the 2009 PTI Journal
illustrates the design steps needed.

4) Forms should be strong with tight joints so as to allow concrete next to the forms to be thoroughly vibrated to ensure proper
consolidation, to prevent seepage of concrete and irregularities in joint shape, and to avoid voids within concrete or on
concrete surface.

5) The forms should be removed promptly after initial curing of concrete to prevent them from being squeezed or becoming
dislodged due to the joint movement.
6) Once formed, the expansion joint gaps in the decks and floors need to be protected from damage by construction traffic
throughout their length. At crossing points, joints should be protected with plates or ramps.

7) Joints in the walls should be free of mortar protrusion, masonry ties, protruding shelf angles, and other obstructions that might
hinder the movement or obstruct installation of the expansion joint system.
Remedies
Cracks in the surface plaster on the wall
• Tap the walls with your knuckles to see of the cement render is loose. 

• If it sounds hollow, then you will know that the render has come away from the wall behind. 
• In this case, you will have to remove the cement render and replace it.
Remedies
Cracks in the surface plaster on the wall
• If the cement render is solid and is still well adhered to the wall, then you can simply fill the cracks
and repaint the wall.
• It is important that when the cement is applied to the wall the cement mix is correct and that the
surface it is being applied to is clean, free of dust and is rough so the render can "key" onto it.
Remedies 
Cracks where electrical cables and air conditioner pipes have been installed
in the wall
• When electrical cables and air conditioner pipes are installed in walls channels are chiseled out of
the wall, the cables and pipes are installed and the channels refilled with cement. 
• If installed badly cracks can form where the channels have been cut. These usually run vertically
down the wall from the ceiling to electrical switches and sockets. 
• These cracks do not affect the structural strength of the building. 
• To repair cracks should be widened a little then filled with a cement rich filler.
Supplier's Product /Technical Data Sheet 
SikaSeal®-416 Joint Filler
BITUMEN IMPREGNATED FILLER BOARD FOR EXPANSION JOINTS 

• DESCRIPTION 

SikaSeal®-416 Joint Filler is designed as an economical, preformed expansion joint filler board for joints in concrete highways, paving curbs,
gutters, floors and generally for concrete buildings and brick structures. It is manufactured from high grade cellular fibres which are bitumen
impregnated (bitumen content ~10 %) and compounded into a compressible non extruding board. Its compressibility and resilience enables it to
perform under pressure, and recovers up to 80 % of its original dimension when pressure is removed. Suitable for use in hot and tropical climatic
conditions. 

• USES 

SikaSeal®416 Joint Filler is recommended to use for vertical and horizontal expansion joints and separation joints in all types of buildings and civil
engineering constructions, such as concrete pavements, slabs, columns, beams, retaining walls, pedestrian areas, underpasses, bridges, tunnels,
culverts, manholes and reservoirs, concrete roads, seaports and airports, precast concrete elements, high and low rise buildings and oil and gas
projects. ▪ It fills the joints completely, thereby it will provide continuous support for the joint sealant. ▪ It is also recommended to be used as
protection board for waterproofing membranes and coatings, to protect against backfill and mechanical damages.

• CHARACTERISTICS / ADVANTAGES 

 Withstand repeated cycles of expansion and compression without extruding ▪ ▪ Very good recovery ▪ Virtually unaffected by temperature changes ▪
Low moisture absorption ▪ Durable ▪ Easy to handle and cut
Product Images