These are vertical joints or grooves formed or cut into the wall that allows the concrete to shrink without noticeable harm.
Movement joints in concrete retaining walls.
The weaker the mix the increased ability to accommodate movement.
For cantilevered and gravity walls vertical expansion joint spacing shall be a maximum of 60 feet on centers.
Typical movement joint spacing for unreinforced concrete masonry panels.
They are essentially vertical planes of weakness built into the wall to reduce restraint and permit longitudinal movement due to anticipated shrinkage and are located where stress concentrations may occur.
Some designers recommend re ducing joint spacings by about 20 in walls with frequent openings such as doors and windows.
Use of bedjoint reinforcement and moisture content of blocks when laid.
Internal or external restraint can develop tensile stresses in a concrete member and the tensile strength or strain capacity can be exceeded.
The hight shear force is applied at the horizontal construction joints located at the lower level.
There is a special check to be done at the construction joints when larger retaining walls or structures having very high lateral loads are designed.
6 to 9m factors influencing spacing of joints are.
8 to 12m external.
In reinforced walls and 6m in unreinforced walls.
Contraction joints are usually about 0 25 inches wide and about 1 2 to 3 4 inch deep and are provided at intervals of not exceeding 30 feet.
Greater distances between movement joints 9 m and sometimes longer are possible in aggregate concrete blockwork walls depending on the location and block type.
The friction of the concrete is the key factor that limits the movement.
1 3 movement and restraint in concrete structures restrained movement is a major cause of cracking in con crete structures.
Precast concrete cantilever wall expansion joints shall be in accordance with the standard specifications section 6 11 3 3.
Tial basement walls and the national ready mixed concrete association ref.
Expansion joints should normally be provided at a spacing of not more than 30m between successive expansion joints or between the end of the structure and the next expansion joint.
In concrete walls the movement joints should normally be placed at a maximum spacing of 7 5m.