How is the impact of thermal expansion typically addressed in code calculations?

The impact of thermal expansion is generally addressed by incorporating expansion joints into the design. These joints allow for the movement that occurs due to temperature fluctuations without causing additional stress or damage to the structure. As materials heat up, they expand, and when they cool down, they contract. If a structure is rigid and does not allow for this movement, it can lead to cracking, buckling, or other structural failures.

Expansion joints create a flexible point in the construction, absorbing the thermal movements while maintaining the integrity of the overall system. This reduces the risk of damage and enhances the durability and reliability of the structure over time.

Other options, while they might suggest ways to handle design and material considerations, do not effectively address the core issue of accommodating physical changes due to temperature, as expansion joints do. Reducing insulation values or increasing structural weight does not provide a solution to the problem of movement caused by thermal expansion, and using more ductile materials may help with flexibility but does not specifically manage the expansion itself as effectively as the incorporation of expansion joints.