Container House Joint Treatment
For the joint treatment of container houses, special attention should be paid to waterproof sealing, structural reinforcement, and anti-corrosion maintenance. The specific measures are as follows:
1. Waterproof Sealing Treatment
The joints of container panels, the areas around doors and windows, and the roof gutters are key parts for waterproofing. Special sealing adhesives (such as silicone adhesive or polyurethane adhesive) should be used for filling to ensure complete sealing of the gaps. The sealing adhesive needs to be replaced regularly (once every 5-7 years) to prevent leakage caused by aging. The roof should be designed with a drainage slope to prevent water accumulation, and fallen leaves and other debris should be cleaned annually to prevent corrosion of the steel plates. If a staggered-floor design is adopted, additional water chutes should be installed at the bottom-layer joints to guide water away from the walls.
2. Structural Reinforcement and Jointing Process
The joints should be reinforced for structural stability through welding or bolt connection. During welding, all notches must be polished smooth and painted with epoxy primer and topcoat for rust prevention. High-strength bolts should be used for bolt connection, and their tightening status should be checked regularly. For vertically stacked containers, the corner fittings and corner columns must be aligned and locked up and down to ensure a clear force transmission path. If the joint crosses a load-bearing structure, additional reinforcing ribs or steel plates should be added to avoid cracking caused by stress concentration.
3. Anti-corrosion and Maintenance
The steel of container houses is vulnerable to environmental erosion and needs to be controlled from the source:
- Material selection: Give priority to hot-dip galvanized cold-formed steel or weathering steel (such as the GB/T 4171 standard) to improve rust resistance.
- Coating protection: After welding is completed, the entire container body should be sprayed with anti-rust primer (such as epoxy zinc-rich paint) and topcoat (such as polyurethane paint) with a thickness of not less than 80μm.
- Regular maintenance: Check the welds, corners, and bottom areas where water is likely to accumulate annually. If rust spots are found, polish and repaint them immediately. The container foundation should be raised by at least 20cm to prevent immersion in moisture.
4. Thermal Insulation and Condensation Control
If the thermal insulation at the joints is not properly handled, a "thermal bridge" is likely to form, causing internal condensation. A thermal insulation layer (such as polyurethane foam board) should be installed on the inner side of the joints and continuously connected with the wall thermal insulation layer. At the same time, the indoor area should be kept well-ventilated, or dehumidification equipment should be installed to reduce the air humidity and minimize the generation of condensed water from the source.
5. Construction Specifications and Acceptance
Jointing operations should strictly follow the Technical Regulations for Modular Combined Houses:
- The width error of the joints should be ≤3mm, and the diagonal difference should be ≤5mm.
- The ambient temperature for sealing adhesive application should be between 5-35℃ to ensure the curing effect.
- After completion, a water spraying test (lasting for 2 hours) should be carried out to verify that there is no leakage before delivery.
By implementing the above measures, the problems of waterproofing, structure, and durability at the joints of container houses can be effectively solved, and the service life of the buildings can be extended.
