Movement Joints in blockwork

[engstructural]

Hi,

Can you stagger movement joints in blockwork between floor to suit the building layout?

If so is a horizontal joint required at floor level?

 

[hokie66]

If these are control joints in the block walls, they can vary in location from floor to floor. If they are actual movement joints in the structure, the wall joints would have to respect the joints in the floors.

What do you mean by a horizontal joint at the floor level? A gap would only occur for non load-bearing walls.

 

[engstructural]

They are control joints in the outer leaf of blockwork. The wall is 2 storey and if the joints are in different locations at each floor will there not be a stress along the bed joint between the joints at each floor. Could this lead to cracking?

 

[phuduhudu]

Yes, you can't stagger the joint. It would need a horizontal slip plane too and that would not be practical unless your wall is supported at each storey level as facing walls in multi storey sometimes are.

Carl Bauer

http://www.bauerconsultbotswana.com

 

[engstructural]

This wall is not supported at each level, I was concidering using a damp proof course at 1st floor level between joints (max 1200mm apart)

 

[hokie66]

So this is a block veneer we are talking about? If so, as Carl says, you could offset the vertical joint locations at supporting shelf angles. Without the shelf angles, the joints have to align.