NATIONAL PRECAST CONCRETE ASSOCIATION AUSTRALIA

a s t
r e c ce
P acti
Pr TES
NO
003
E2
JUN Joints in Precast
N1
PP Concrete Buildings1

1 Introduction 2 Design
2.1 General
Well detailed and constructed joints play a vital part It is recommended that joints be treated as a strong
in maintaining the integrity of the external envelope visual feature of architectural wall design. Recessing of
of the building, ensuring it is weatherproof and joints and/or sealants will help diminish the visual
meeting any other requirements such as fire- impact of possible variations between adjacent
resistance and acoustic performance. surfaces.
This Practice Note provides guidance on planning The following general aspects need to be addressed
joint locations, gives requirements for joint types,
Buildability and minimum size
widths, the choice of sealant and discusses the fire
Select details that are simple to fabricate and
rating of joints.
install on site. Proven details should be used
For the purpose of this Note, a joint is an intentional wherever possible.
gap between adjoining elements (typically cladding)
Maintenance and repair
or between an element and some other portion of
Although modern sealants have a long service life
the structure. Joints may be horizontal, vertical or
they, if exposed to sunlight, will eventually need
inclined.
replacement or repair. Access for repair and
The function of a joint between precast elements is replacement must be taken into consideration in
to provide physical separation between the units and, the design of the building.The positioning of
in conjunction with joint sealants, prevent the ingress services or other features in front of joints will
of water and air into the building; and, if required, fire make future access difficult. Consideration must be
resistance. given to the fact that inspection and repair will
Two aspects of joint selection need to be usually have to be made from the exterior of the
emphasised: building.
The positioning of joints in relation to windows 2.2 Number, location and width of joints
and to the structure can affect the serviceability,
The key points are (see also Figure 1):
construction and maintenance of the building
envelope. Poor joint location will lead to problems For maximum economy in manufacture and
which cannot be overcome by joint detailing (see erection, panels should be as large as practical.
Figure 1) If architectural requirements dictate more-closely-
Careful control of construction tolerances is spaced joints, false joints can be used to achieve a
necessary to ensure the integrity of the cladding similar visual effect.
system.

1 This Note is a summary of information from the Precast Concrete Handbook, Z48.
For more information or purchase, refer to National Precast Concrete Association Australia web site: www.npcaa.com.au
PPN 1 Joints in Precast Concrete Buildings

Weathering of the building facade can be Figure 1

controlled to a large extent by careful joint
location. Location of Joints
Recessing the sealant in the joint, or use of an Vertical joint
Dummy joint between panels
open-drained system, will minimise concentrated
rainwater runoff and water-stain patterns.
A nominal joint width of 20 mm will usually be
satisfactory for most conditions and is the
recommended design starting point.
DO NOT curtail vertical dummy
joint as this will lead to staining
Vertical joint
between panels

DO NOT stagger vertical

(or horizontal) joints as this
leads to staining and stress
on sealants.
In some cases it can lead to
AVOID this configuration as it stress on the panel with
3 Types of Joints can lead to potential water possible cracking of the
staining and leakage problems panel
3.1 General
The most common types of joint between precast
concrete cladding and/or wall panels are:
open-drained;
face-sealed; and
compression-seal.
Their advantages and disadvantages are summarised
in Table 1.

Table 1
Advantages and Disadvantages of Joint Types
Joint Type Advantages Disadvantages
Open-drained Can tolerate relatively large movements. Careful supervision is required during installation as it
The rear sealant is protected from UV light is difficult to remedy defects due to poor workmanship.
and weather.
Not suitable for tall vertical panels (> 9.0 m in height).
Can be installed from inside the building
(no scaffold required). Cannot accommodate joint gap tolerances > 5 mm.
Long maintenance-free life.
Best for medium- and high-rise construction.

Face-sealed Panel edges can have simple profile, Must be applied from external scaffolding or other form
no grooves required. of access.
Can be used for complex panel shapes Sealant is exposed to UV light and weather
(angled or curved). needs more maintenance.
Can have a rear seal as a second line of defence. In a single-seal system even a small failure may allow
Lowest first cost. water penetration due to capillary effects and pressure
differentials.
Can be readily inspected, repaired or replaced.
Best for low-rise construction.

Compression-seal Simple and quick to install. Cannot be fully weatherproof, so limited to low-rise
Panel edges can be plain or simple profile. industrial buildings.
Economical. Joint width is critical.
Maintaining compression on seal at intersection of
horizontal and vertical joints is difficult.
Difficult to maintain and/or replace.
Time-consuming while erecting.
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PPN 1 Joints in Precast Concrete Buildings

3.2 Open-drained joints

The open-drained joint is recommended for high-rise
construction. It consists of a rain barrier in the form
of an expansion chamber with a loose-fitting baffle
and an air-seal at the interior face of the panel (see
Figure 2).
The baffle prevents direct entry of the wind-driven
rainwater.The pressure in the chamber between the
baffle and the internal air seal is at external air
pressure.There is, therefore, no pressure differential
to drive rain past the baffle.The air-seal is the
demarcation barrier between outside and internal air
pressures.
Water that enters the joint in front of the baffle is
drained downwards. At every intersection between
the vertical and horizontal joints, a short length of
flashing (300 mm) is used to ensure water is
discharged to the outside.

Open-Drained Joints are the Recommended

Type for most Medium- to High-Rise
Construction.
Open-Drained Joints can Tolerate Large
Movements and the Rear Sealant is Protected
from UV Light
Open-Drained Joints can be Installed from
Inside the Building.

Figure 2
Design and Construction of Open-Drained Joints

Drainage zone, 50 mm minimum

Install neoprene baffle strip after erection of next level of panels.

See lapping detail on right for treatment at horizontal joints

Vertical air-seal

Air-seal may be a
sealant with backing rod,
closed-cell sponge or
Minimum square neoprene strip
20
Fix flashing in place
with flexible seal under
back and sides Top baffle

Horizontal air-seal

Air-seal

Upstand*
300 Flashing
* 50 mm typical,
Minimum 75 mm in exposed Bottom baffle
20 locations lapped under
flashing

Minimum 120
Preferred 150

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PPN 1 Joints in Precast Concrete Buildings

3.3 Face-sealed joints 3.4 Compression-seal joints

These joints are simple, economical and are most This type of joint utilises a compressible impregnated
suited to low-rise construction (see Figure 3).They polyethylene or polyurethane foam strip.The strip is
are sealed by a single run of gun-applied sealant close pre-compressed and inserted into the joint after the
to the exterior surface of the joint. A backing-rod panels are erected or it is glued in position before
forms the rear of the sealant.The external face seal placement of the second panel, Figure 4. It then
should, where practical, be supplemented by a seal expands to fill the joint.
near the inside face of the panel. The use of this type of joint seal is usually limited to
low-rise buildings such as factories and warehouses
where wind pressures are low. It can be used where
spandrel beams, downturns or columns restrict the
Figure 3 access required for placement of gun-applied sealants.
Face-Sealed Joints
Sealant with Rear sealant optional Figure 4
backing-rod
Minimum 15 Compression-seal Joints
Preferred 20
Maximum 30

A A

Minimum 15 VERTICAL FORMAT HORIZONTAL FORMAT

Preferred 20
Maximum 30 Compression seals glued
to edge of one panel

50

Rear
sealant SECTION A-A SECTION B-B
optional

Sealant with 3.5 Hollowcore wall joints

backing-rod
Hollowcore wall units are primarily used on low-rise
commercial and industrial buildings.The joints
between panels are normally 10 mm wide and are
sealed with a two-part polyurethane sealant placed
against a closed-cell backing rod.

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PPN 1 Joints in Precast Concrete Buildings

4 Joint Sealants 4.2 Sealant types

Field-moulded sealants are available in the following
4.1 General
types:
The choice of sealant and its specification, should be
Polysulphide sealants (two-part)
discussed with sealant manufacturers.
Polyurethane sealants (one- or two-part)
Factors to be considered by the designer when
choosing a suitable sealant material include: Acrylic sealants
The sealant should be impermeable to water. Butyl sealants
It should have a low elastic modulus to Silicone sealants.
accommodate strain due to joint movement Note, silicone sealants should be avoided where
without significant stress, with the shape of the possible as they stain the concrete surface and
sealant influencing the stress in the sealant. cannot be painted.
It should be able to recover its original shape after 4.3 Joint design and sealant application
cyclic deformation.
To ensure the joint and sealant give satisfactory
It must bond firmly to the joint face without failing performance, the following points should be noted
in adhesion nor splitting or peeling under the (see also Figure 5):
anticipated joint movements.
Correct joint preparation
It must not soften or flow at higher service
Correct sealant-backing systems
temperatures and should not harden and become
brittle at low temperatures. Correct joint geometry
It should not be adversely affected by ageing or Sufficient curing time.
weathering and should be stable when exposed to
UV light.
For face-sealed joints the sealant should have a
stable colour, be non-staining and resistant to
pickup of dirt.

Figure 5
Joint Design Principles

Correct Joint Design Incorrect Joint Design

Good width/depth profile Sealant too deep
12 x 12
chamfers Concave sealant surface No backup rod
typical Width greater than depth Poor geometry for movement
Chamfers set sealant back Concrete arrises subject to
and protect concrete handling damage

20 typical

5 Fire Rating of Joints

External cladding may be required to have a specified
Fire Resistance Level (FRL). Cladding panels will
usually be designed or tested to meet these
requirements in accordance with Section 5 of
AS 3600.
Most sealant manufacturers produce sealants that are
designed to provide resistance to fire.The joint
details and sealants should be designed and applied in
accordance with the manufacturers recommen-
dations to give the required level of fire resistance.

Disclaimer: Since the information provided in this publication is intended for guidance only and in no way replaces the services of professional consultants on particular
projects, no legal liability can be accepted by the National Precast Concrete Association Australia for its use.

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