From Award to Action: Expansion Joint Training at Gillette Stadium
Sika Emseal team members review field observations from the stadium expansion joint walkthrough, overlooking the Gillette Stadium bowl and football field to assess performance and installation quality.
Fresh off being named Manufacturer of the year, our team didn’t just celebrate at Gillette Stadium. We turned the visit into a hands-on learning opportunity.
While accepting the award, we conducted an on-site technical walkthrough for our inside technical sales and engineering teams. The goal was to deepen understanding of real-world expansion joint conditions in one of the most complex stadium environments in the country. The walkthrough strengthened technical knowledge, sharpened field awareness, and connected movement calculations to actual building behavior.
Seeing Stadium Expansion Joint Movement in Action
As Lester noted early in the walkthrough:
“In a stadium like this, you see transitions everywhere: from horizontal to vertical surfaces, across concourses, into seating bowls, and all the way up to the roof. These are the conditions for which [Sika Emseal] systems are designed. Our joints maintain continuity of seal through complex intersections and deliver watertight performance through changes in plane and direction.”
This perspective guided the walkthrough. Rather than simply locating installed expansion joint systems, the team studied building movement paths and examined how transitions were executed, from straightforward runs to challenging intersections.
A long concourse run of SJS installed in one joint illustrated this clearly. The installation included a difficult transition that highlighted the value of factory-fabricated expansion joint systems and how Sika Emseal solutions adapt to complex geometries while maintaining watertight performance.
Connecting Expansion Joint Calculations to Field Conditions
Throughout the walkthrough, team members measured joint widths, assessed field conditions, and discussed how much movement those gaps should accommodate.
Engineers typically begin expansion joint design with some form of this basic thermal expansion formula:
ΔL = α × L × ΔT
Where:
α = coefficient of thermal expansion (concrete ≈ 10×10⁻⁶ /°C)
L = slab length
ΔT = temperature change
This calculation addresses thermal movement, but stadium expansion joints experience additional influences such as shrinkage, creep, live-load deflection, and in some cases seismic or settlement effects. The group reviewed how these combined factors could theoretically close a joint to zero and why selecting an expansion joint system with the correct movement range is critical to avoid binding or over-compression.
While no joints at Gillette approached zero during the visit, applying these calculations on site helped put movement demands into real-world context and reinforced how Sika Emseal expansion joint systems reliably accommodate a wide range of movement.
Traffic, Exposure, and Expansion Joint Performance
Gillette Stadium exposes expansion joints to demanding conditions, from heavy pedestrian traffic to maintenance equipment and winter operations. The team reviewed foam condition, surface wear, and moisture pathways to better understand how expansion joint systems respond to repeated loading and seasonal exposure.
Learning From Original Construction and Retrofit Conditions
Many locations at Gillette originally used expansion joint systems from other manufacturers. Over time, certain areas have been updated, creating opportunities for Sika Emseal to participate in renovation projects.
Walking both original construction and retrofit areas gave newer team members insight into how expansion joint systems age, why retrofit conditions require careful detailing, and what proper anchoring, alignment, and continuity of seal look like in the field.
A Hands-On Investment in Expansion Joint Expertise
What began as a celebratory visit became a focused technical deep dive. The team left with a stronger understanding of field evaluation, movement-based system selection, and expansion joint performance in a high-traffic stadium environment.
For a closer look at the expansion joint applications at Gillette Stadium, explore the full case study: Watertight Expansion Joints at Gillette Stadium.
Ready to strengthen your facility’s expansion joint performance?
Our technical team offers on-site evaluations, movement assessments, and product guidance to help you select the right expansion joint system for real-world field conditions. Reach out to schedule a consultation or request technical support.