Brick Wall Expansion Joint

These joints will absorb the pressure created by the expansion by giving the masonry wall flexible space to expand.

Brick wall expansion joint.

The joints are formed by leaving a continuous unobstructed opening through the brick wythe that may be filled with a highly compressible material. Most general purpose bricks have a coefficient of expansion in the range 0 5 to 1 0mm m over 15 years. 1 3mm per linear run of brickwork should be allowed so a wall that has movement joints at 9m centres should have a joint of 12mm. This movement could be a result of thermal expansion moisture movement creep and structural loading or the effect of chemical changes.

Brickwork showing wall ties spaced no more than 225mm from the expansion joint movements joints and their size vary depending on the size of the wall. Exterior vertical wall expansion joint selection guide emseal watertight fire rated sound proof insulating precompressed foam sealant expansion joints selection guide. Expansion joints should be located where stresses or cracks are likely to develop in brickwork. Expansion joints should also be located below shelf angles to account for vertical expansion of brick.

Expansion joints must be located so that the structural integrity of the brickwork is not compromised. The expansion and contraction of masonry needs to be accommodated and controlled by the inclusion of both vertical and horizontal joints within the building. Exterior wall exterior wall expansion joints feature watertight. When building a boundary wall an expansion joint is a separation designed to relieve stress on building materials caused by movement induced by thermal expansion and contraction.

A masonry expansion joint is a complete break in the masonry wall to allow for the entire structure to move under loading temperature related expansion contraction etc. They are therefore specifically provided in boundary walls to avoid cracks occurring in the wall. Clay brickwork will generally be subjected to long term expansion while concrete masonry aggregate blocks aircrete blocks will be prone to shrinkage. The coefficient of expansion or e value of clay bricks when tested in accordance with as nzs 4456 11 can vary from a very low 0 3mm m millimetres per metre to over 1 6mm m.

Expansion control joints to control the expansion and protect the wall structure from cracking under pressure masons install vertical control joints at specific locations. An expansion joint in brickwork and blockwork is a means of solving potential problems caused by movement.