Constructions nowadays especially for the large buildings and bridges or railway tracks require a lot of professionalism since it involves the use of metal which often undergoes expansion and contraction. In most construction of buildings, railway lines, bridges, sidewalks, piping systems and ships, there are some sections where expansion joints are used. Expansion joints are also called movement joints. These are structures designed in a manner that they safely absorb any expansion and contraction of construction materials.
This equipment ensures that the vibration is absorbed by holding the parts together and sometimes allow slight movement in case of too much vibration like earthquakes. Most bellows expansion joints are made up of bellows which is an elastic element that links both ends of the construction. It works in a way such that the expansion can be compensated which could have been caused by heat hence reducing the stress of the wall pipes in the case of piping systems. However, there are several types of expansion joints where some are made of rubber while some are made of metal.
The best one, however, is metal one depending on the type of construction. Choosing the right bellows expansion joints can, therefore, be a challenging situation especially when choosing it for the first time as a contractor. Expansion joints have rectangular shapes and as for the metallic ones, they could be full height or half-height expansion joints. There are some things that one may consider in order to select the best expansion joints. One of the things that you should consider is the procedure used by the manufacturer to form. Every other manufacturer has its own way of manufacturing bellow expansion joints and therefore, you need to consider choosing a company that follows the required procedures.
The other tip that might be helpful is considering the bellows materials.
There are various materials used in designing metal bellows as it has an impact on the functionality and flexibility of the expansion joint. They are added up by the quality and properties of the bellow where if the materials are poor, then it would not perform its functions as intended. The common types of metal bellows used are copper, bronze, nickel, and steel. Before selecting a bellow expansion joint, you should also ensure that you do some testing first. A testing phase is usually recommended as some expansion joints could be faulty and may lead to a disaster once installed. Testing gives you an idea of how genuine the product you have purchased is.
There are several testing techniques that can be applied and therefore you can apply the most suitable and accurate one. The other crucial thing that you should ask for is the approval of the Genuity of the bellows expansion joint from the Expansion Joint Manufacturers Association which is a body that deals with the manufacture of expansion joints. The body ensures that the designs and procedures of manufacturing the expansion joint are considered to the later and that all the requirements are met. Also, it would be beneficial for you to consider acquiring a bellow expansion join from a manufacturer that you trust. If you work with an expansion joint designer who is experienced and produces quality products, then you will never have to worry about your construction.
