Closure Strips and How PS=Ø Eliminates Them
Why concrete needs a closure strip, the construction problem it creates, and the mechanical rebar splice that lets the slab shrink naturally without leaving the joint open.
Why is a closure strip needed?
Concrete shrinks as it cures. If that shortening is restrained, cracking can result. A traditional closure strip allows adjacent concrete to shorten before the structure is connected.
The construction problem
The traditional closure strip solves the engineering problem but creates a construction problem: an open leave-out, exposed reinforcement, interrupted access, a return pour, and potential schedule delay. On the deck that leave-out starts at the pour stop where each placement stops at a construction joint, the stop line the crew has to come back and fill once the adjacent slab has shrunk.
A better way to build
PS=Ø allows the concrete to shorten as intended while eliminating the traditional open leave-out and later closure pour. It solves the engineering problem without creating the construction delay.
Want the terminology, the traditional 30 to 60 day sequencing, the full PS=Ø installation sequence, and ICC/ACI compliance detail? See the full technical breakdown in Resources.
What changes on the jobsite
With no open leave-out, crews can pour continuously, reinforcement isn't left exposed, other trades aren't working around an open strip, and there is no return pour to close it. For a crew-level view of how that plays out, read what eliminating the leave-out means for placement and finishing crews.
Want the full mechanics of the seam, the couplers, the closure strip, and the grouting that replace the leave-out? Our system page walks through the couplers and closure strip that replace the traditional closure pour and how the whole assembly installs.
Closure Strip FAQ
Terminology, sequencing, and the full engineering FAQ live in one place alongside our other technical resources.
Read the Closure Strip FAQ