Tooled Joints in Slabs on Ground 1

[DHKpeWI]

I am looking for a resource to develop a detail for tooled joints in a slab on ground. In most places the slab will be only 4" thick. The application is in a office building. The architect does not want to use saw cut joints.

Does any know of a good article on this? Would anyone be willing to share a detail they have successfully used?

 

[cvg]

http://www.lymtal.com/drawing/1294_draw.pdf

 

[DHKpeWI]

Thanks cvg!

 

[spats]

I'd say tough beans for the architect! How and when are they going to be able to get on the slab to tool in these joints? How are they going to keep them straight? Also recognize that the depth of the joint should be 1/4 the slab thickness, not simply 1" deep per cvg's detail.

 

[ToadJones]

spats-
good concrete finishers routinely hand tool joints in SOG's using finishing tools and extension poles.

I always had my finishers hand tool a joint in the slab as soon as it was poured to keep the aspect ratio below 1:1.5.

A decent hand tooled joint should mitigate T&S cracks.
Then I make sure that they come back and saw cut the hand tooled joint down to 1/3 the depth of the concrete as soon as they can get back on the concrete with a saw.
You cannot see the cut down inside the hand tooled joint.

 

[Teguci]

Most groovers are 1 1/8" deep and provide a nice rounded profile at the joint so your 4" thick slabs are no problem (I'd be OK with a 5" slab too).

For the extra cost of hand tooling the joints the architect better not put carpeting on top.

 

[spats]

ToadJones- That must be a heck of an extension pole to use on a office building, except if it's really, really small... and then to have to come back and sawcut! What's the advantage? Then you have to fill them per cvg's detail?

Sawcut are pretty clean looking when exposed (my opinion)... I also wonder why the architect cares since most if not all slabs in office buildings are covered with some kind of a finish. The architect should be more concerned about the layout of slab joints, particularly where there is thinset ceramic tile. Nothing like a huge crack in the tile through the middle of your elevator lobby.

 

[cvg]

spats - the detail has the following note which indicates a minimum of 1/5 the depth, not just 1 inch.

Notes:
** Tooled joint depth shall be a minimum of 20% of
the total floor slab thickness.