Waterstop

stopCECW-EG

Department of the Army

EM 1110-2-2102

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Engineer
Manual
1110-2-2102

Washington, DC 20314-1000

Engineering and Design
WATERSTOPS AND OTHER PREFORMED
JOINT MATERIALS FOR CIVIL WORKS
STRUCTURES

Distribution Restriction Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is
unlimited.

30 September 1995

EM 1110-2-2102
30September 1995

US Army Corps
of Engineers
ENGINEERING AND DESIGN

Waterstops and Other Preformed
Joint Materials for Civil Works
Structures

ENGINEER MANUAL

AVAILABILITY
Copies of this and other U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
publications are available from National Technical Information
Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161. Phone
(703)487-4650.
Government agencies canorder directly from the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers Publications Depot, 2803 52nd Avenue,
Hyattsville, MD 20781-1102. Phone (301)436-2065. U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers personnel should use Engineer Form
0-1687.

UPDATES
For a list of all U.S. Army Corps of Engineers publications and
their most recent publication dates, refer to Engineer Pamphlet
25-1-1, Index of Publications, Forms andReports.

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Washington, DC 20314-1000

CECW-EG
Manual
No. 1110-2-2102

EM 1110-2-2102

30 September 1995

Engineering and Design
WATERSTOPS AND OTHER PREFORMED JOINT MATERIALS
FOR CIVIL WORKS STRUCTURES
1. Purpose. This manual provides guidance for the selection and use of waterstops and other

preformed joint materials forpreventing passage of excessive amounts of water, water-borne matter,
gases, other fluids, and other unwanted substances into or through the joints of concrete structures.
2. Applicability. This manual is applicable to HQUSACE elements and USACE commands having

civil works responsibilities.
3. Discussion. Most concrete structures have contraction, expansion, and construction joints. Joints

canbe a path for unwanted matter, liquids, solids, and gaseous substances to enter and pass through
the concrete joint and possibly cause damage to the integrity and serviceability of the structure.
Waterstops and other preformed joint materials are a primary line of defense against the passage of
excessive amounts of these substances. This manual provides information and data on the variouswaterstops, preformed compression seals, and other preformed joint materials; their shapes, sizes, and
the physical properties that are available to the designers of concrete structures.
FOR THE COMMANDER:

ROBERT H. GRIFFIN
Colonel, Corps of Engineers
Chief of Staff

This manual supersedes EM 1110-2-1911, dated 31 May 1983.

EM 1110-2-2102
30 Sep 95

Chapter 1
Introduction

applicablebeyond this manual. The usefulness of these
terms within this manual implies that special care is
needed whenever waterstop is described formally in a
design memorandum or a construction contract.

1-1. Purpose

1-5. Background

This manual provides guidance on effective and
economical selection, evaluation, and use of waterstops,
preformed compression seals, and other preformed jointmaterials in the construction of concrete structures. It
provides information on types of waterstops and other
preformed joint materials used in hydraulic and nonhydraulic concrete structures, including locks, dams,
floodwalls, storage tanks, pavements, buildings, bridge
decks, and other concrete structures.

Concrete is normally subject to changes in length, shape,
or volume caused bychanges in temperature, moisture
content, reactions with atmospheric carbon dioxide, or by
the application of loads. One method of controlling and
minimizing the effect of these changes or movements is to
provide joints at which the movement can be accommodated without loss of integrity of the structure. There are
many other reasons for providing joints in concrete structures such as at doors,...