A study on expansion joints and cracking in reinforced concrete building floors

Abstract

The effects of imposed deformations on reinforced concrete structures and its inherent cracking have been dealt with, using different methodologies throughout history, either by setting a maximum length of construction, or by setting a reinforcement ratio to control the tensile stresses. We present in this article a practical and operational procedure, successfully applied in many structures, trying to avoid the presence of the usually troublesome expansion joints.