Case 2
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- Introduction
- Causes of Defects
- Good Practices
- Standards
- Maintenance and Diagnostics
- Remedial
- Similar Cases
- References
Cause of Defects
The bulging effect is probably caused by the effect of environmental condition. Long term exposure to heat and ultra-violet radiation from the sun or ozone will cause the concrete panels to expand and contract, forcing movement of the sealant joints.
When there is insufficient design to the sealant joint width-to-depth ratio, the organic sealant will either bulge out if both panels expand or sink in if both panels contract.
Eventually, the sealant will harden, making it less flexible as hardening is caused by the loss of solvent and plasticizers. Hence, the harden sealant will stay bulging in the long run.