Ductwork at Expansion Joints
Buildings have expansion joints that ductwork must accommodate without breaking.
What You Might Be Looking At
gap in building structure with special duct connection designed to accommodate movement
Apprentice words: building joint, expansion gap, slip joint, building movement
Trade terms: building expansion joint, seismic joint, structural expansion joint, flexible duct connection
Check First
What Not To Do
Don't install rigid duct across expansion joints. Don't ignore building expansion joint locations.
What can go wrong: Duct failure, air leakage, structural damage, pressure test failure, potential injury from falling duct
Better Foreman Question
For this expansion joint, what type of flexible duct connection is specified? And what movement should it accommodate?
Verify With
Reference type: engineered detail, project specs
Source to verify: Project structural details, expansion joint manufacturer guide, SMACNA Seismic Restraint Manual
Safe wording: Expansion joint connections are engineered.