Large movement finger expansion joints represent one of the best solutions to accommodate bridge expansion and contraction whilst reducing road noise emission to a minimum. Its main elements consist of cantilevered, or sliding, steel plates connected to each side of the road surface's gap. Designed with a "finger-like" shape, the steel plates easily move within each other; where the primary movement is along the axis of the fingers themselves. Since there are no moving parts attached to the joint, cantilever moments reduce the stress induced to the structure. There is a large replaceable gutter below the joint which is made of reinforced neoprene and provides an efficient drainage system into the bridge's ducts. The gutter also limits the build up of standing water to reduce the possibility of vehicles aquaplaning.
LCL's finger joints exhibit very low levels of noise emission and therefore offer a high level of driving comfort for fast or heavy traffic. The joints can be designed to reach their full horizontal expansion at, or around, 600 mm. In applications where effective maintenance practices are carried out then LCL's finger joints will last for a very long time and as such they offer a very cost-effective and durable solution for most bridge applications. Every LCL finger joint is custom designed and fabricated to individual specifications.