Building movement will happen whether or not we want it to. If we do not account for where movement will occur, during design and construction, the building will find its own way to move.

This course will cover why building movement joints are needed, the differences between various types of joints, how expansion joints should provide continuity of the air and water control layers, as well as samples of what failures can occur. We will also review a case study showing failures which can happen when expansion joints are not designed and installed.

Learning Objectives:

1. Review best practices for location of expansion joints on building enclosures.
2. Identify the difference between expansion, control, and isolation joints.
3. Investigate building failures caused by poor expansion joint design and lack thereof, and premature failure due to improper installation.
4. Cover the causes of sealant failure, and the importance of proper joint design and how it can dictate performance.

Melissa I. Payne focuses on offering building enclosure third-party services. She founded Midwest Enclosure Consulting, September 2022, to offer owners, design, and construction teams with expertise in building science, building envelope solutions, forensic investigations, as well as building performance assessments and construction onsite inspections.

Ms. Payne joined Tremco CPG Inc. November 1, 2018, as a Construction Management Specialist. She then managed the Enclosure System Solutions Team starting in February 2021, and administered the MyTEAM Leak-Free Warranty Processes and Services till April 25, 2023, at which time the company decided these services would no longer be offered under Tremco CPG, Inc.

Prior to joining Tremco, she provided building enclosure commissioning and consulting service and conducted forensic investigations on a multitude of projects while at Miller Engineering, P.C. Prior to developing and heading the building enclosure division at Miller, she served as the Owner’s Representative on both capital and non-cap construction and restoration projects for City Utilities of Springfield, Missouri, a municipal utility company.

Ms. Payne possesses a strong foundation in industry standards related to building envelope commissioning processes, commissioning authority, building science, construction observation, performance testing, project management, and general construction of building envelope systems including: institutional, schools, higher education, government, healthcare, hospitality, and industrial projects. Her owner representative, third-party consulting experience, forensic work, commissioning provider background, and manufacturer internal consultant involvement gives her an all-enveloping perspective of the design and construction industry.