Watertight Expansion Joints and Construction Sealants by EMSEAL

AIA/CES

Expansion joint training. Four AIA registered training programs, with up to 8 HSW CEU’s, are available from Sika Emseal at your firm, at our headquarters, or via online webinar.

Sealing Joints in the Building Envelope--Principles, Products & Practice (1 LU/HSW)

AIA Course: BENVO1-01a
Learning Units: 1
Course Designation: LU/HSW
Request AIA Presentation or Course — Contact Sika Emseal

“Although they are a minor component of the building envelope, joints with sealants are often responsible for defects and failures — sometimes after only a couple of years.

These problems arise because there is often confusion as to who is responsible for design of joints and choice of sealants and because DETAILED DESIGN IS LEFT TOO LATE — so that decisions already taken make it difficult to design a satisfactory joint”

 —From Civil Engineer International: Report from CIRIA (Construction Industry Research and Information Association).

Caulk and backer rod failure in large wall expansion joints EMSEAL

Waterproofing related issues constitute the lion’s share of post-tenancy complaints and revenue disruption and are routinely the basis of construction-related lawsuits.

Sika Emseal operates at the center of a communication disconnect that often exists between the design architect responsible for selecting joint sealants and the engineers calculating joint movement.  When this conversation ignores the movement capability of the product that is expected to seal the joints, failures often result.  Emseal’s “Sealing Joints in the Building Envelope” seminar provides practical steps to avoid this and other common mistakes that affect joint sealing. Schedule an Emseal lunch seminar now or read more about it at www.emseal.com.

Description: SEALING JOINT IN THE BUILDING ENVELOPE: PRINCIPLES, PRODUCTS & PRACTICES
I. WHY BUILDINGS LEAK – TYPICAL PROBLEMS

1.Forces That Cause Moisture Ingress

A: Raindrop Momentum
B: Gravity
C: Capillary Action
D: Surface Tension
E: Air Pressure Difference

2.Where Moisture Gets In

A: Through Cladding (Porosity of Cladding)
B: Improperly Sealed or Failed Joint Seals
C: Poorly Detailed or Executed Roof-to Wall Interface
D: Window Assemblies that are Poorly Designed and/or That Do Not meet ANSI Requirements for Wind Driven Rain or Hurricane Forces
E: Poorly Designed Vents, HVAC Units, and Other Envelope Penetrations

II. JOINT SEALING

1. Types of Joints

A: Structural Expansion Joints and Abutment Joints between Structures (ex. New and Existing)
B: Joints at Penetrations to the Envelope (Windows, Doors, Vents, HVAC Units)
C: Joints between Dissimilar Materials
D: Joints at changes in roof lines, building shape or structural systems
E: Joints in cladding panels

2. Fundamental Design Issues Affecting Joint Sealing

A: Existence and Emphasis
B: Sizing & Movement

a) Allowable Construction Tolerances
b) Relationship of Calculated Movement to Movement Capability of a Product Type

C: Failure to Design in Other than Cross- Section
D: Specification of Competitive Technologies
E: Continuity & Communication

III. JOINT SEALANT PRODUCT TYPES

  1. Compression Seals
  2. Strip Seals
  3. Caulk & Backer Rod
  4. Precompressed Sealants

IV. INNOVATION AND DESIGN VERSATILITY

1. Double Sided vs Pre-Applied Binary Sealants
2. Watertight & Fire Rated Joints achieved with a Single Installation
3. Factory Fabricated Universal 90’s
4. R-value, STC & OITC ratings, and longevity

V. INSTALLATION & QUALITY MANAGEMENT

1.Function of Checklists

Learning Objective 1: Analyze how watertight, energy efficient, fire-rated expansion joints are the consequence of a process in which we: Design, Detail, Specify, Bid, Erect, Manufacture, & Install in 3-D.

Learning Objective 2: Be familiar with product technologies and how to apply them.

Learning Objective 3: Why it is critical to require certified performance reports in your specifications.

Learning Objective 4: Know that your next building can be a watertight structure.


Joint Protection and Firestopping, Fire-Resistive Joint Systems (8 LU/HSW)

AIA Course: 212-EJS117
Learning Units: 8
Course Designation: LU/HSW
More information about course at Sika Emseal — View Info

Description: This day-long course is a mixture of classroom and hands-on exploration of the impact on longevity, thermal performance, and life-safety preparedness of structures as the result of expansion joint design, construction, technology selection, and installation.

Expansion Joint AIA Registered Training Courses Offered by Sika Emseal

Learning Objective 1: Secure a practical knowledge of issues affecting successful expansion joint sealing including: design, placement, movement and temperature, technology selection, specification, and installation.

Learning Objective 2: Through an exploration of types, applications and failure analysis, understand various expansion and building component joint technologies for applications in vertical and horizontal plane construction.

NH Berlin Federal Prison DFR2 installation into floor expansion joints EMSEAL

Emshield DFR2 installation into a floor joint.

Learning Objective 3: Understand quality assurance measures required to ensure functional, and aesthetic performance of expansion joint systems.

Learning Objective 4: Through hands-on installation, learn the techniques and methods of installation of various expansion joint systems.

 

 


 

Traffic Bearing Expansion Joints: Design, Types & Analysis (1 LU/HSW)

AIA Course: BENVO2-02a
Learning Units: 1
Course Designation: LU/HSW
Request AIA Presentation or Course — Contact Sika Emseal

Description: End user understanding of expansion joints contributing to a watertight, energy efficient Design, Detail, Specify, Bid, Erect, Manufacture & Install process.

Learning Objective 1: Analyze how watertight, energy efficient, fire-rated parking garage expansion joints are the consequence of a process in which we: Design, Detail, Specify, Bid, Erect, Manufacture, & Install in 3-D.

Learning Objective 2: Learn why it is critical to require certified performance and test reports from national laboratories.

Learning Objective 3: Investigate how watertight expansion joints can contribute to sound attenuation, fire-rating, reduce energy loads, eliminate high-emitting VOCs, and save in materials and resources.

Learning Objective 4: How to meet Life Safety obligations while practicing good building science


 

Curved seismic expansion joint coverplate system on stadium concourse at Sanford Stadium at UGA by Sika Emseal

Fire-Rated Expansion Joints - Principles, Products, Practice and Innovation (1 LU/HSW/SD)

AIA Course: BENVO4-04a
Learning Units: 1
Course Designation: LU/HSW/SD
Request AIA Presentation or Course — Contact Sika Emseal

Description: The breakthrough family of single-install, multi-function, fire-rated, waterproof, sound proof, hurricane-resistant, high movement expansion joint sealant technology will be discussed and contrasted with existing technologies and principles of the industry.

Fire rated wall expansion joints Emshield WFR2 WFR3 from EMSEAL

Learning Objective 1: Analyze how watertight, energy efficient, fire-rated expansion joints are the consequence of a process in which we: Design, Detail, Specify, Bid Erect, Manufacture, and Install in 3-D.

Learning Objective 2: Learn why it is critical to require certified performance and test reports from national laboratories in specifications.

Learning Objective 3: Investigate how fire-rated expansion joints can contribute to sound attenuation, reduce energy loads for heating and cooling, eliminate high-emitting VOC’s, and save in materials and resources through long life-cycle material choices.

Learning Objective 4: How to meet Life Safety obligations while practicing good building science.


“We have come to realize that our projects show more problems with expansion joints than all other product categories combined. Yet, expansion joints are a miniscule part of projects in terms of construction costs. How can we work together to produce trouble-free joint seals?”

Received in a letter to our firm in 1990, this quote has been the basis of Emseal’s mission for 30+ years. Less than 1/2 of one percent of the budget of a structure is typically spent on expansion joints. In fact less than one percent is usually spent on all waterproofing. Yet, waterproofing related issues constitute a lions share of post-tenancy complaints and revenue disruption and are involved in an estimated 90% of construction-related lawsuits. We still see immense structural damage decades later, but we’re on a mission to repair and replace these failed expansion joint systems, one parking deck at a time!

Leaking Expansion Joint Parking Deck Damage before Sika Emseal Installed

We can “work together” to produce trouble-free joint seals. It involves a collaborative process, begun early in design stage and includes the incorporation of a couple of simple sheets to your bid documents. Architects, engineers, and general and sub contractors everywhere are adopting our “Think, Design, Detail, Erect, Manufacture and Install
3-Dimensional Expansion Joint Solutions” approach to joint sealing. To find out how, schedule an Emseal lunch seminar now or read more about it at emseal.com.