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

It’s undetermined whether interlocking steel teeth of the expansion joint will need replacing, Leigh said.

From Seattle Times ● May 13, 2024

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

You’re familiar with the ongoing expansion joint replacements and congestion along southbound Interstate 5, where the sixth of 16 weekend-long lane reductions begins Friday night through Seattle’s Sodo area.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 14, 2022

If an "expansion" joint were provided, there would be a sufficient length of iron pipe if it passed direct from the junction with the heating apparatus into the stokery.

From The Turkish Bath Its Design and Construction by Robert Owen Allsop