Groove Cutting is the technique to provide control joints in concrete to guide cracks along a predetermined line and to help accommodate the movement of the concrete and avoid Cracking of Concrete and long-term damage.
Concrete expands and contracts constantly with changes in the temperature, the moisture content of the air and due to drying of cement which results in shrinkage. The movements result in stress that can cause cracks in the concrete and destabilization of the base.
Uncontrolled cracking can cause an uneven surface, which is subject to increased wear over time and water seepage, which can damage the substrate. Though formation of cracks is almost impossible to prevent, it can be controlled. The purpose of the Groove Cutting is to weaken the slab along the predetermined line so that the slab cracks there instead of somewhere else.
Benefits of Groove Cutting
Groove Cutting is cutting the laid concrete providing grooves of size 5mm wide and one third of the thickness of the concrete (or as required at site) within 48 hours of laying of the concrete to form bays of 4Mtrs X 4Mtrs using heavy duty cutting machine with diamond cutting wheel and filling of the grooves with appropriate sealant.
Concrete expands and contracts constantly with changes in the temperature, the moisture content of the air and due to drying of cement which results in shrinkage. The movements result in stress that can cause cracks in the concrete and destabilization of the base.
Uncontrolled cracking can cause an uneven surface, which is subject to increased wear over time and water seepage, which can damage the substrate. Though cracking is almost impossible to prevent, it can be controlled. The use of specific types of control joints helps accommodate the movement of the concrete and avoid long-term damage.
Making Grooves is one such method to insert contraction joints into slabs to guide cracks along a predetermined line. The purpose of the Groove Cutting is to weaken the slab along the approved line so that the slab cracks there instead of somewhere else. In order to be effective, the contraction joint must be at least one quarter as deep as the slab is thick.
In case of heavy load traffic, a Load Transfer mechanism is used. Load transfer devices prevent the cement slabs from shifting under heavy loads. Shifting can cause uneven slabs and breakdown in the joints. Dowels, load plates, or slots can be embedded into the concrete to act as load transfer devices. These devices are laid perpendicular to the construction joint, extending into both slabs across the joint. Their purpose is to distribute the load evenly between slabs thereby protecting the concrete along the joints.
