expansion joint

American  

noun

1. a joint between two parts of a structure, machine, etc., permitting expansion, as from heat, without structural damage.

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expansion joint British  

noun

1. engineering a gap in steel or concrete to allow for thermal expansion

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Etymology

Origin of expansion joint

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

expansion joint

The works then progresses over the following months to bridge waterproofing, concrete repairs, resurfacing, expansion joint replacements, edge beam strengthening, and barrier upgrades.

From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2025

Two lanes of the westbound Tacoma Narrows Bridge will be closed for at least “several days” after a routine inspection found crumbling concrete next to an expansion joint.

From Seattle Times ● May 13, 2024

Drivers in Everett will encounter another inconvenient truth this week, as major expansion joint work begins for northbound Interstate 5, and lanes close for the five evenings.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 5, 2023

Motorists second-guessed the Washington State Department of Transportation’s strategy to replace a worn expansion joint and barricade all four mainline lanes during the Friday afternoon commute, Saturday’s Huskies game and Sunday’s Seahawks game.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 27, 2022

Another method of forming an expansion joint consists in placing a strip of wood between courses of brick at the place where a joint is required.

From American Rural Highways by T. R. (Thomas Radford) Agg