Industrial flooring must withstand heavy static loads, withstand the repeated passage of handling equipment, and maintain a smooth, continuous surface over time. Shelving, machinery, forklifts, and pallet trucks subject the floor to varying stresses, which become particularly critical at the intersections between one section of flooring and the adjacent one.
The construction joint is therefore not simply a separation element between two pours. It is a functional component of the paving, designed to manage the movement of the slabs and, at the same time, ensure continuous load transfer.
The quality of the joint directly affects the durability of the floor, the protection of the concrete edges, and the smooth passage of vehicles. A poorly managed joint can become one of the most stressed areas of the entire industrial surface.
What are construction joints in industrial flooring used for?
Le industrial flooring In concrete, construction joints are typically created for successive pours. The construction joint defines the boundary between two sections of the floor created at different times, allowing them to behave as distinct elements without disrupting the overall functionality of the surface.
During the service life of the flooring, the slabs may be subject to shrinkage, thermal variations, deformations, and stresses caused by loads. The joint must allow for the necessary horizontal movements without allowing the two parts of the flooring to move independently vertically.
Its main function is therefore twofold: to allow the pavement to move and to transfer part of the load from the slab directly subjected to stress to the adjacent one.
A correctly identified joint also contributes to:
- limit the formation of unevenness between the slabs;
- protect the edges of the concrete;
- reduce shocks and vibrations when vehicles pass;
- distribute the stresses over a larger portion of the pavement;
- preserve the regularity of the surface;
- reduce the need for subsequent repairs.
Among the construction joints for industrial flooring The CPR GIUNTI range includes solutions SINE e NOVA JOINT. The CPR GIUNTI general catalogue It also includes profiles intended for the protection and restoration of damaged industrial floors (repair joints).
The transfer of loads between adjacent slabs
When a trolley wheel or a static load approaches the edge of a slab, the pavement is in a more critical condition than in its central area.
If the load remains concentrated exclusively on the affected slab, the edge can be subjected to significant deformations and stresses. The transfer system must also involve the adjacent floor portion, distributing the stress evenly.
The ability to transfer loads is important for both static actions, such as those produced by shelving and machinery, and for dynamic actions generated by the continuous transit of vehicles.
In the second case, the problem isn't just related to the vehicle's overall weight. The size and material of the wheels, the speed at which the vehicle passes, and the number of times it passes over time are also key factors.
The small, rigid wheels of pallet trucks and some forklifts concentrate the load on a small surface. When they encounter a straight joint or a bump, they can cause localized impact on the edge of the slab, accompanied by noise, vibration, and progressive deterioration of the concrete.
Discrete transfer using plates
In traditional systems, load transfer is performed by metal elements spaced at intervals along the joint. Stress transmission therefore occurs at distinct points.
The joints of the series NOVA JOINT distributed by CPR GIUNTI They employ plates that functionally connect the two paving layers. These elements counteract relative vertical movements while simultaneously allowing for the horizontal movements determined by the behavior of the slabs.
The load applied near the joint is thus partially transferred to the adjacent portion, reducing the concentration of stresses on the single edge.
This technology responds to the fundamental need to make the two panels work together without impeding their natural movements on the floor plane.
Why use a sine wave joint (SINUS)
In straight joints, the wheel encounters the entire width of the gap at the same time. This transition can therefore cause a shock, especially when the vehicle has small or rigid wheels.
The sinusoidal geometry modifies the way the wheel passes through the joint. Contact is not interrupted simultaneously along its entire width, but continues gradually along the curve.
This way, the wheel remains more supported as it crosses the surface. The transition becomes more gradual, reducing the stress concentrated on the edge of the concrete.
The sinusoidal shape, therefore, is not intended for aesthetic purposes. It is a functional solution designed to improve the performance of the flooring in areas frequently crossed by forklifts, pallet trucks, and automated handling systems.
The joints JOINT M distributed by CPR GIUNTI They combine this surface geometry with the load transfer function, with the aim of protecting the edges and improving the continuity of transit.
Cosinus Slide®: the continuous transfer of loads
The innovative design of the Cosinus Slide construction joint®, patented bya Hengelhoef Concrete Joints – HCJ and distributed in Italy by Edilizia Servizi Srl – CPR GIUNTI, offers a dual response to the main performance requirements for a construction joint: effectively transferring loads between the slabs and ensuring smooth passage for handling vehicles.
Cosinus Slide® revolutionizes the concept of static and dynamic load transfer, moving from the traditional discrete type scheme, based on Barrotti or plates placed at intervals, in a continuous pattern in which the flooring configuration itself assumes the transfer function.
The system achieves continuous load transfer using a "Gerber"-type bracket, formed by the exposed sinusoid sliding on the lower cosine. The dual geometry works both on the visible side and within the pavement: the upper sinusoid regulates the passage of the wheels, while the lower sinusoid distributes the load along the joint.
This principle is accompanied by a 3D continuous armature, designed to evenly distribute the load across the flooring slab. The stress is therefore not concentrated in isolated points, but is distributed across a larger portion of the structure.
The transfer efficiency of this configuration reaches values that well exceed 40%. The load is therefore not transmitted only to separate points, but is distributed along a continuous portion of the discontinuity.
In this way, the floor itself performs the function of the construction joint: the geometry of the system allows the two parts to slide horizontally and, at the same time, limits relative vertical movements.
What is the difference between the NOVA JOINT and Cosinus Slide systems?®?
In Cosinus Slide system®, the transfer of loads occurs according to a different principle compared to traditional joints with plates o Barrotti. In systems discreet transfer, the metal elements transmit the load at distinct points along the joint.
Cosinus Slide® instead adopts a continuous scheme, in which the particular sinusoidal geometry distributes the stress along the length of the joint. This configuration limits localized concentrations and promotes more uniform interaction between the two layers of the pavement.
The principle of the shelf type Gerber It allows the load to be guided as it passes from one plate to the next. The wheel doesn't simply pass through an opening: it is progressively supported by the system's geometry.
This advantage makes Cosinus Slide® particularly suitable for floors subject to heavy loads, frequent traffic and repetitive routes, such as those found in logistics centres and automated warehouses.
Reduction of shock, vibration and noise
The unique sinusoidal shape was designed to reduce noise and impact from forklifts and pallet trucks. The progressive rolling motion also provides greater protection for the pavement edges, helping to preserve the integrity of the concrete along the joint.
With a straight profile, the wheel can abruptly encounter the discontinuity and strike the opposite edge. In the sinusoidal configuration, part of the wheel remains supported by the pavement as it passes through the joint.
The transit therefore occurs progressively, without the sudden drop into the gap that can characterise traditional joints.
Reducing impact brings benefits beyond the pavement. Smoother traversing reduces the stresses transmitted to the wheels, the vehicle's chassis, the transported materials, and the operator.
In environments where movement is continuous, lower noise also helps improve overall operating conditions.
Concrete edge protection
The edges of the slabs are one of the most vulnerable areas of industrial flooring. Repeated wheel traffic can cause chipping, detachment, and a progressive widening of the damaged area.
When the edge loses integrity, the wheel no longer encounters a smooth surface. The impact increases and further accelerates degradation, triggering a process that tends to worsen with traffic. steel construction joints They protect the top of the slabs and help distribute stress across a more resistant area. The metal protection also limits the impact of the wheels on the edges of the concrete.
La edge protection It is therefore closely linked to the transfer of loads: the more regular the passage between the plates, the lower the stresses concentrated on the edge.
Repair joints for damaged industrial floors
In existing industrial floors, joints can gradually lose their functionality due to repeated traffic, cracked edges, or unevenness between the slabs. Deterioration impairs the smooth passage of vehicles and increases stresses concentrated on the edges of the concrete, further promoting the spread of damage.
Under these conditions, a simple surface filling is not sufficient. The intervention must restore a controlled discontinuity, re-establish edge protection, and restore a smooth surface to the pavement, suitable for the transit of forklifts, pallet trucks, and other handling equipment.
These solutions fall within the range of construction and repair joints for industrial flooring Distributed by CPR GIUNTI. The various configurations allow for work on both new floors and existing joints that have lost their flatness or surface integrity.
Why intervene before the damage spreads?
The deterioration of a joint tends to progress. A small chip changes the way the wheel passes through the gap; the impact becomes more intense and causes new stresses on the edge.
Over time, noise, vibration, and discomfort for vehicles and operators can increase. The damaged area can also become more difficult to clean and less suitable for precise handling of goods.
Un repair joint It therefore has the task of stopping this process, re-establishing the protection of the edges and a smooth crossing surface.
The intervention should not be considered merely as a localized repair of the concrete. It involves the restoration of a functional element that must continue to allow the slabs to move and support the expected loads.
A solution to be evaluated based on actual use
There's no one-size-fits-all configuration for all flooring types. The choice depends on the type of traffic, wheel load, traffic frequency, the presence of shelving or machinery, and the condition of the flooring.
In a warehouse traversed by rigid-wheeled pallet trucks, smooth transit and edge protection are particularly important. In an area occupied by heavy racking, however, the ability to distribute static forces near the joint becomes crucial.
Even the presence of automated routes requires a surface that is as smooth as possible. AGVs and robotic systems follow repetitive trajectories and can pass through the same point a very large number of times.
The choice must therefore start from the actual operating conditions of the floor, not just from the visible shape or size of the profile.
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