The Effects of Seasonal Thermal Loads at Expansion Joints Locations in Arabic Area Buildings

Abstract

Concrete buildings are subjected to fluctuation in seasonal temperature loads between summer and winter in the Arabic area. The long-term effects of such temperatures on concrete buildings, accompanied by the variation in ambient temperatures, induce thermal displacements and forces in concrete structures. The thermal forces and displacements influence over time the safety and functionality of the premises, while many cracks are imposed. This study investigates the effective response of reinforced concrete buildings considering thermal seasonal load fluctuations and long-term effects of creep and shrinkage in the Arabic area. In recent decades, structures without joints have become necessary. In order to use this option, super-long structures with a length of more than 60 meters must takes into account the impact of thermal load fluctuations in their design. A proper methodology must be provided to define the greatest permitted distance between expansion joints in addition to a clear process for buildings thermal study. Different approaches are provided by researchers, each methodology provides different values for required joints spacing considering different aspects in design. In this paper, I shall try to present three methods with a comparison study for considered aspects and gaps for each method analysis to propose the most appropriate methodology to support engineers in calculating the maximum allowed spacing between expansion joints