Unrestrained rubber expansion joints are primarily designed to relieve thermal stresses in rigid piping systems by absorbing axial movement and the resulting anchor loads. In these applications, the use of main anchors with numerous guides at specific spacing becomes critically important. Lateral movements can also be achieved with the use of directional main anchors. Unrestrained rubber expansion joints as manufactured by General Rubber will provide all directional movement, such as axial, angular, lateral, and torsional, that may occur from external conditions. External conditions includes, but are not limited to seismic events, wind and shock loading, as well as ground settlement. The rubber expansion joints will have a cycle life in the tens of millions while effectively reducing noise and vibration, as well as compensate for pipe misalignment. It is however, critically important to verify that the support structure and adjacent equipment’s load limitations are not exceeded. These expansion joints, via removal, will provide access to piping and equipment providing a self-retracting design or an adjustable installed length is not required.
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