Monday, February 11, 2008

CMU Bond Beam at Control Joint

We have another office debate going on and I would like to hear opinions of others.  For a fully grouted wall, what do you do at the horizontal reinforcing (bond beam) at the vertical control joint. 
  • Do you keep the horizontal reinforcing continuous and grout solid (makes for good chord steel)? 
  • Do you break the horizontal reinforcing on each side of the joint (provide chord steel via deck ledger angle)? 
  • Do you replace the deformed bar with a smooth dowel and break the bond on one side of the sleeve?
  • Do you break the horizontal reinforcing except keep it continuous at floors and roof bond beam?
It seems there are as many approaches as there are opinions!
 
Paul.