Building Expansion joints in Middle East

[ozziz]

What is the normal or range of building expansion joint spacing in Middle East espcially in Saudi Arabia? Is it governed by the building code? I was told that the building expansion joints are much closer than in the normal practice found in other parts of the work due to extreme variation in temperature within a day from day to night.

How about the tall buildings? How are the expansion joints resolved within the tower structures?

 

[dik]

It would depend on the temperature variation... in Winnipeg, The temperature differential can be large depending on the exposure and installation. In Winnipeg, it can be -40C in winter and with sun shining on material in the summer the material can be upwards of 80C. Different areas can be exposed to different temperature differentials.

 

[civilperson]

Saudi will accept any recognized code for design criteria with the proviso that it be reviewed by a second design firm.

 

[slickdeals]

What are the requirements for a company to be registered in the local jurisdiction prior to performing designs?

 

[msquared48]

I dson't think you have to worry about expansion joints over there. Things have been hot for many years now. Not much change in temperature...

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

 

[ozziz]

Thanks for your comments.

I am more interested in Middle East. In principles, the behaviour of thermal expansion are the same. But in Saudi Arabia, they may have some building regulations govern the spacing of expansion joints due to years of experience or due to extreme change in temp within a day such as freezing night and very hot day. Whereas in temperate countries, the range within a day can be much less than Middle East.

 

[dik]

Winnipeg is pretty extreme... it's often referred to as Winterpeg...

 

[civilperson]

Air conditioned buildings experience very little temperature change in the structural steel inside the cladding.

 

[rapt]

Civilperson,

They can experience a lot of temperature change
- between construction and operation depending on weather conditions during construction
- when the airconditioning is turned off.
- in unairconditioned parking levels

And a lot of building in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world are concrete framed!