Technological advancements in the current century continue to improve and transform construction practices, as they do in every industry. One of these technological revolutions, the Arfen Crack Control Joint Profile Technology, is fundamentally changing industrial flooring applications.
The Arfen Crack Control Joint System is specifically designed to prevent cracking in slab-on-grade concrete used in industrial floors of factories and facilities. This crack control joint system is a unique solution composed of a 40×10 mm cold-drawn steel flat bar, steel dowels, an 8 mm thick load plate, plastic anchors, and sheet steel components.
Installed prior to concrete pouring and aligned with the final floor level, the Arfen Crack Control Joint Profile begins to function automatically as the concrete starts to set, without requiring any external intervention. As the concrete hardens, it undergoes shrinkage due to moisture loss and needs to move freely. The concrete, which achieves high bond strength through the steel dowels and the polyamide sleeve located on one side of the load plate, activates the system through its natural movement. The system allows the industrial concrete slab to move freely until it reaches its full 28-day design strength. In addition, this unique system adapts to movements caused by temperature variations during service life, providing the concrete with a dynamic structural behavior.
Beyond these technical advantages, the system protects joint edges throughout the service life of the structure against breakage and impact-related damage commonly observed at joint locations in industrial floors, thanks to its cold-drawn steel flat bar. The integrated load plate ensures controlled load transfer from one side of the joint to the other. Some project designers also utilize this armoured concrete joint system as a permanent formwork left in place.
The Arfen Crack Control Joint System is actively implemented in projects across Romania, Lithuania, Greece, Bulgaria, Russia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Serbia, Croatia, Austria, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Qatar. With new agreements signed in 2023, the system is set to be introduced into projects across Latin American countries. As a result of recently established partnerships, ARFEN plans to triple its production capacity and proudly shares its new factory investment dedicated to crack control joint profile manufacturing with its business partners.