Ancon manufactures a wide range of shear load connectors for use at concrete expansion and contraction joints. The latest addition to the range is the Ancon MultiJoint which transfers load and allows movement to take place at joints in ground bearing slabs.
MultiJoint is ideal for use in factories, distribution centres and other applications where large concrete floor slabs are subjected to high loads and wheeled traffic. The system is an all-in-one solution to formwork, armoured edge protection, concrete contraction and load transfer. It can reduce slab depths, saving time and materials during construction, and can minimise maintenance requirements over the life of the building.
Ancon supplies MultiJoint in standard 3m lengths which are lapped end-to-end on site. Each unit has five built-in plate dowels to transfer load across a joint. The dowels are housed in plastic sleeves which allow both lateral and longitudinal movement.
Dr Michelle Parmenter, a Senior Engineer at Ancon, explains, “Plate dowels have replaced plain round and square dowel bars as the preferred method of transferring loads in industrial and commercial ground bearing slabs. The dimensions and spacing of MultiJoint dowels have been engineered to provide the best combination of concrete and steel resistance for effective load transfer.”
The Ancon system features a unique top profile comprising two square-edged, 12mm wide, steel rails. These rails protect the concrete edge as vehicles cross the joint. Dr Parmenter describes other benefits of the Ancon design,
“As force is applied at the joint, MultiJoint resists rotation and vertical movement preventing uneven settlement between adjacent slabs. The patented shape also transfers the impact load into the concrete at a 45 degree angle to avoid localised cracking.”
The Ancon range includes standard MultiJoint corners to provide continuity at the most vulnerable areas of a floor. To simplify product selection, performance data for all MultiJoint systems is available in easy-to-read tables for slab depths up to 350mm and joint widths up to 40mm.