Couldn't they just leave it as one slab. I mean why do they put the cracks in there, shouldn't it be just like the streets and be one constant slab.
2007-05-22 05:09:43 · 6 answers · asked by The_Big_Bear_2001 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
if you notice between the cracks sometimes they put filler in the gaps its for the expansion and contraction in different temperatures without the gaps in the cement they would break up when the weather changed... you can also notice this when you go over a bridge at some point between the solid ground and the bridge there is a space usually separated by a piece of metal with something in between like rubber or something that adjusts well to weather...
2007-05-22 05:19:41 · answer #1 · answered by zipohda 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Best answer here from among several good ones is J control, but it really seems to me they have missed one of the reasons for the seams. even those that are only part way thru the slab as well as those with a gasket between sections are also serving an additional job. If the sections cracks the crack usually doesn't cross the seam or the manufactured crack and should it become necessary to dig up part of the walk to access plumbing it provides a place to cut the section out and pour a new section.
2007-05-22 20:23:10 · answer #2 · answered by goodforwho 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The spaces between the slabs in sidewalks are for expansion and contraction. If they were left solid they would crack with temperature changes. Streets aren't as solid as they appear on the surface. If you were to take a cross section of a street you would see voids in the slab.
EDIT: A good portion of the cracks in streets and sidewalks that you do see are from tree/bush roots or ground movement below them. Some are due to faulty installation, also.
2007-05-22 12:19:49 · answer #3 · answered by lover_of_paints_&_quarter_horses 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sidewalks are not as thick as roadways. The ground moves with temperature changes and a solid slab would crack. Actually, roads have expansion joints built into them.
2007-05-22 12:14:51 · answer #4 · answered by sensible_man 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
The cracks are put in there intentionally. The roads and most masonary buildings do too. This is an engineered weak spot to relieve stress from heating,cooling,and ground movement(shifting). These "built in" weak spots help keep stress fractures to a minimum(least amount of damage).
2007-05-22 12:22:33 · answer #5 · answered by Jcontrols 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They put cracks so you can have room for the concrete to move due to tempeture changes which can expand the concrete. And roads are made of different surfaces and arent as thick, also they have a system built in that allows it to expand some...which doesnt always work, as you can see by cracks in roads.
2007-05-22 12:19:34 · answer #6 · answered by KTXBMX22 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋