Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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Method and Kit for S~lins~ pql~cion Joints
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for in~tall~tion of expansion joint seals into
.c;on joints and to an expansion joint sealing kit.
Bark~round of the Invention
In large structures such as bridges, buildingc~ parking decks, floors etc.,
eYp~n~ion joints are provided to accommodate movcll.cl.l of building materials due to changes
in loading forces and thermal expansion and contraction. In structures other than bridges,
these ~yr~n~ionioints typically have gap widths ranging from about 1 inch to 6 inches in
which a typical 4 inch joint in the winter would decrease to 2 inches in the s~lmmer due to
thermal ~Yp~n~ion. In seasonal çlim~tes the normal time for filing expansion joints is in the
summer when warm tclllpcl~ res cause the expansion joints to decrease.
Once an expansion joint has been formed in a structure, it is necessary to seal
the gap. This is due to the fact that water caused by rain and/or snow fall as well as other
m~t~ri~l~ such as oil from leaking automobiles, cause slow damage to the structure. In
previous years, the gaps of çyr~n~ionioints were sealed with a composition such as tar
dçcigned to accommodate expansion of the joint while still ~ inil~g the seal.
Unfortunately, this type of seal often proved to be inadequate and leakage through the seal
was commonplace.
More recently, hollow preroll.led sealing elements commonly referred to as
sealing strips have been used to seal expansion joints. During in~t~ tion, the sealing strip is
COIllyl cssed and then placed in the gap of the expansion joint where it ç~cr~n~s Adhesive on
the sealing strip and on the opposed walls of the expansion joint adhere the sealing strip to the
expansion joint to inhibit leakage through the seal. The in~t~ tion of the sealing strip in the
gap of the expansion joint has been done m~nll~lly by pushing the sealing strip into the gap.
.hinery has also been designed to compress and install sealing strips of this nature. For
e~ ,le, U.S. PatentNos. 3,466,988 and 3,532,032 disclose m~chines designed to insert a
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sealing strip into pavement grooves.
However, there are problems associated with these methods. When the sealing
strip is installed m~ml~lly, or when using machinery to push the sealing strip into the gap,
adhesive is removed from between the sealing strip and the walls of the expansion joint which
may result in an inadequate seal and leakage through the expansion joint. Also, these prior art
methods are not desi~ed to deal with uneven and crooked expansion joints and therefore,
when such expansion joints are sealed using these prior art methods, leakage often occurs.
Also, the m~hinery designed to install the sealing strips in expansion joints is expensive and
complicated.
Systems have also been devised to deal with water leaking through an
eYpansiQn joint. For example, Canadian Patent Application No. 2,103,885 discloses a method
for diverting water leaking into an elevated expansion joint in e~i~ting bridges. As those of
skill in the art will appreciate, improved methods to seal expansion joints are desired.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an advantageous
and novel method for sealing an expansion joint and an expansion joint sealing kit which
obviate or mitig~te at least one of the above-mentioned problems.
SummarY of the Invention
We have developed, in accordance with this invention, a novel method for
sealing an expansion joint. In this method, a sealing element is laterally con,p-essed by
,UUlll such that the width of the compressed sealing element is less than the width of the gap
in the expansion joint to be sealed. This allows the sealing elçm~nt to be easily positioned into
the expansion joint. The present method overcomes the difficulties involved in correctly
positioning the sealing element without the removal of the applied adhesive or the use of
complicated machinery. This allows the sealing element and adhesive to fill any voids in the
walls of the expansion joint and provide a seal across the gap of the expansion joint which
inhibits le~k~ge
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Accol.ling to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method forsealing an eYp~n~ion joint to inhibit leakage through said joint and allow for thermal expansion
and contraction, said method comprising the steps of:
I) collapsing a generally hollow resilient sealing element by creating a vacuum
therein such that the width of said sealing element is less than the width of said expansion
joint; and
ii) positioning said collapsed sealing element within the expansion joint and
rele~i~ said vacuum so that said sealing element expands to fill said expansion joint allowing
adhesive between said sealing element and said expansion joint to adhere said sealing element
to said PYp~n~ n joint;
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an
expansion joint sealing kit comprising:
I) at least one generally hollow collapsible resilient sealing element;
ii) at least one pump connectible to said sealing element to create a vacuum
within the sealing element to collapse said sealing element to a width less than the width of
said expansion joint; and
iii) adhesive to adhere the sealing element to the walls of said expansion joint.
Brief Description of the Drawin~s
Embodim~ntc of the present invention will now be described more fully with
rererence to the accomp~-yillg drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sealed expansion joint;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 1 taken along line 2-2;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the expansion joint of Figure 1
connected to a pump;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the expansion joint of Figure l;
Figures 5a to 5c are cross-sectional views showing the steps performed during
sealing ofthe expansion joint of Figure 1;
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Figures 6a to 6e are cross-sectional views of alternative embodiments of sealingstrips used to seal expansion joints; and
Figure 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of Figure 6a.
Detailed DescriPtion of the Preferred Embodiments
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, an expansion joint is shown and is generally
indicated by reference numeral 10. The expansion joint can be formed in a variety of
structures such as bridges, buil~ing~ parking decks, floors and the like. The expansion joint
10 in~ les a gap 12 formed between opposing walls 14 and 16 of the structure in which the
~Yp~mion joint is formed. The opposing walls may be straight or uneven. In Figure 2, wall 14
is depicted as being uneven while wall 16 is depicted as being straight. A sealing element in
the form of a sealing strip 20 is positioned in the gap 12 and extends the length of the
expansion joint 10. Adhesive 22 acts between the walls 14 and 16 and the sides ofthe sealing
strip 20. The sealing strip 20 and the adhesive 22 on both sides of the sealing strip form a seal
to inhibit leakage through the expansion joint 10.
Figures 2 and 3 best illustrate the sealing strip 20. As can be seen, the sealing
strip is symmetrical about its central long1tu-lin~l axis. V-shaped grooves 20a are formed in
the upper and lower surfaces 20b, 20c respectively, of the sealing strip and extend along the
length of the sealing strip. The interior of the sealing strip is generally hollow. An internal
web pattern defined by a single internal wall 20d divides the interior of the sealing strip into
two separate cells 20e and 20f e~tentling the length of the sealing strip. The sealing strip is
formed of resilient elastomeric material and the internal web pattern and grooves 20a are
desi~ed to allow the sealing strip to be compressed laterally. Prior to in5t~ tion, the ends
20g of the sealing strip must be sealed. This can be done in a number of ways. For example,
the ends of the sealing strip can be sealed by first clamping and then sealing the ends either by
welding or gluing them shut. If gluing then it is prefelled that a fast cure adhesive be used.
Alternatively, a piece of rubber 20h cut to fit over the ends of the sealing strip, may be welded
or glued onto the end of the sealing strip avoiding the need to clamp the ends. The rubber 20h
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can be of any resilient material such as that used for the sealing strip 20. Further still, foam or
other suitable material may also be inserted into the open ends of the cells to seal the ends of
the sealing strip. Elastomeric materials used for forming the sealing strips include butyl
rubber, ABS rubber, urethane rubber, polysulfide rubber, neoprene rubber, sanliprelle~, etc.
Silicone rubber sealing strips may be either a vinyl addition cure type or a peroxide cure type.
The sealing strip 20 may be a co~ llercially available m~mlf~ctured elastomeric compression
seal.
The adhesive 22 may likewise be selected from a wide range of materials. A
c~luilt;lllent ofthe adhesive is that it readily adheres to both the sealing strip 20 and the walls
14 and 16. Thus, the adhesive 22 may vary depending on whether the structure is formed of
steel or concrete and whether the sealing strip 20 is butyl rubber or silicone. A di~el enl
adhesive may be applied to the joint walls 14 and 16 to that applied to the sealing strip 20 as
long as the two adhesives are colllpa~ible. Adhesives suitable for use herein include adhesives
such as urethane adhesives, butyl rubber adhesives, epoxy, cement/latex or silicone. There are
a variety oftypes of silicone adhesives although the primary component of all silicone se~l~nts
is moisture cured RTV sealant. Another type of silicone sealant is the two component
conden~tion cured sealant. The adhesive 22 should have some elastomeric character to
accommodate slight variations in the shape of the sealing strips 20 and to reduce stress due to
di~ ing coefficients of thermal expansion at the interface between the sealing strip and the
walls ofthe eYp~nsion joint.
Although the sealed expansion joint 10 appears conventional, the present
method of sealing the expansion joint is advantageous as compared to prior art methods and
will now be described with particular reference to Figures 3, 4 and 5a to Sc. Prior to
in~t~ tion ofthe sealing strip 20 in the gap 12 ofthe expansion joint 10, an aperture 40 is
formed in the sealing strip, prefel~bly in its upper surface 20b and a valve 42 is fitted into the
aperture. The ends 20g of the sealing strip are also sealed. It is desirable to ensure that the
internal cells 20e and 20f of the sealing strip are in fluid communication. If the aperture 40 is
formed by drilling, the drill can also be used to puncture a hole through the internal wall 20d.
Alternatively, before the ends of the sealing strip 20 are sealed, slits can be formed in the
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internal wall 20d adjacPnt the ends of the sealing strip.
A tube 44 is connected to the valve 42 which leads to a valved Y-connector 46.
One port 48 of the valved Y-connector leads to the intake port 50 of a pump 52. The other
port 54 of the valved Y-connector leads to the exhaust port 56 of the pump 52. At this stage,
the pump 52 is operated to create a vacuum to evacuate the sealing strip 20 causing the
sealing strip to collapse. The symmetrical nature and design of the sealing strip f~cilit~tes
collapsing of the sealing strip along its length. Once collapsed, the sealing strip 20 is ready to
be installed into the gap 12 of the e~ran~ion joint.
Prior to inst~lling the collapsed sealing strip into the gap 12, the opposing walls
14 and 16 are cleaned to remove any loose debris and then the adhesive 22 is applied on the
walls to a thiç1~ness of apploxil-lately 1/16" to 1/4" depending on irregularities in the walls.
Adhesive 22 is also placed on the side walls of the sealing strip 20. The sealing strip 20 is then
lowered into the Pxp~n~ion joint If the expansion joint is located in a low traffic area, the
sealing strip is positioned so that its upper surface 20b is level with the surface of the structure
in which the eYpan~ion joint is formed. If the expansion joint is located in a high traff1c area,
the sealing strip 20 is positioned so that its upper surface 20b is slightly below the surface of
the structure, typically 1/2 inch. The sealing strip 20 may be held at the proper depth by
plopping it on top of a backer rod 60 or on top of a foam board 62. It should however be
understood to those skilled in the art that any similar object may be used to support the sealing
strip 20 in place during positioning.
Once held at the proper depth, the sealing strip 20 is oriented so that it is
propelly positioned. The pump 52 is then turned off, releasing the vacuum, and the valve in
the Y-connector 46 is turned to connect the tube 44 to the exhaust port 56 allowing air to
slowly enter into the sealing strip 20 so that the sealing strip begins to expand. When the
sealing strip 20 has exr~n-led to the point where the sides ofthe sealing strip abut the walls 14
and 16, the pl~cçm~nt ofthe sealing strip is inspected again to ensure that it is still properly
positioned. If the positioning is correct, the pump 52 is again operated with the valve of the
Y-conne~;lor 46 connecting the tube 44 to the exhaust port 56 of the pump. This causes air to
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be forced into the sealing strip causing it to over-inflate within the gap so that the sides of the
sealing strip firmly abut the walls 14 and 16. If the ends ofthe sealing strip 20g were clamped
and welded or glued, then this portion of the sealing strip must be cut offin order to allow for
the sides of the sealing ~lement to come into contact with the joint walls. The expansion joint
10 is then left ~n~i~hlrbed until the adhesive 22 cures. This usually takes from 4 to 24 hours.
Once the adhesive cures, the valve 42 is removed from the aperture 40 and the aperture is
sealed.
Although the present method has been described with reference to the sealing
strip depicted in Figures 1 and 2, alternative sealing strips having di~rent internal web
patterns may be used. Figures 6a to 6e show examples of alternative sealing strips which are
suitable for use when carrying out the present method. Figure 6a shows a multicell rubber
col.lpression sealing strip particularly useful for sealing horizontal expansion joints in
structures bearing traffic. Figure 6b shows a rubber compression sealing strip useful for
sealing holi~olll~l and vertical expansion joints in structures bearing no traffic. Figure 6c
shows a rubber co-.lpression sealing strip having textured sides to increase surface area and
provide improved adhesion. Figures 6d and 6e show two further sealing strip design~ As
those of skill in the art will appreciate, when the sealing strip has a complicated internal web
pattern to define a plurality of internal cells, the cells are brought into fluid communication by
forming slits 70 in the internal walls of the sealing strip as illustrated in Figure 7 as opposed to
using a drill. This is due to the fact that it is difficult to puncture all of the internal walls in this
manner.
It should be appa,enl to those of skill in the art that the sealing strip need not
be over-inflated during in~t~ tion. Rather, once the sealing strip has been properly positioned
in the gap 12, the sealing strip can simply be allowed to assume its uncompressed state by
disconnecting the tube 44 from the pump 52 so that the sides of the sealing strip abut the
walls 14 and 16.
The present method provides a simple, fast and economical method for sealing
~,Ypan~ion joints which are less prone to leakage than expansion joints sealed using prior art
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techniques. This is due to the fact the in the present method, the sealing strip 20 can be
properly positioned within the gap 12 ofthe expansion joint 10 without adhesive 22 being
scraped from belween the sealing strip and the walls. In this manner, the adhesive 22 placed
on the walls to fill voids in the walls remains on the walls and is likely to be un(li~tllrbed by the
sealing strip when it is positioned in the gap. Because ofthis, the likelihood of leakage
through the seal is reduced. These advantages are achieved by creating a vacuum in the
sealing strip to col--press it to a width which is less than the width of the gap in the expansion
joint allowing for the sealing strip to be inserted in the gap without disturbing the adhesive.
Those of skill in the art will appreciate that the present method provides a
method of sealing an expansion joint which does not require extensive prep~lion of the
eYp~mion joint walls, while reduçing the possibility of leakage through the seal. The present
method also obviates the need for complicated machinery to compress and insert the sealing
strip into the gap of the expansion joint. In addition, the present method also obviates the
need to use sealing strips having wings. Winged sealing strips are extremely expensive to use
and install.
As one of skill in the art will appreciate, various widths and lengths of sealing
strips may be used although it is pl~relled that the sealing strips, varying in width from 1 inch
to several inches, be designed to suit the requirements of the expansion joint. The length of
the sealing strip used depends on the length of the expansion joint to be sealed. It is also
understood that expansion joints which are not straight, i.e. bend and turn, may also be sealed
using the present method by welding or using adhesive to join a number of sealing strips
together in a manner to fit the shape of the expansion joint to be sealed.
Although the sealing strips are shown as being symmetrical about their
lon~ihldin~l axis, it should be apparenl to those of skill in the art that this is not critical. The
sealing strip simply needs to be of a design so that when the vacuum is created, the sealing
strip col"presses laterally so that its width is less than the width of the gap allowing the sealing
strip to be positioned in the gap without disturbing the adhesive.
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In addition, although a simple pump is shown to collapse and over-inflate the
sealing strip, it should be realized that separate pumps can be used to perform each step.
The present method may be used to seal expansion joints in various steel or
concrete structures including roadways, buildings, pavement, and in parking slabs. It is
understood to those skilled in the art that the method of the present invention can be used to
seal basically any type of e~cr~n~iQn joint whether the joint is narrow, wide, short, long,
straight, bending, or on an even plane.
Although prcrellcd embodiments ofthe invention are described herein in detail, it will
be understood by those skilled in the art that variations may be made thereto without departing
from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
