Tie rods are devices, in the form of rods or bars that are attached to the expansion joint assembly whose primary function is to continuously restrain the full bellows pressure thrust during normal operation while permitting only lateral deflection. Often, the terms “limit rods” and “tie rods” are used interchangeably. In a strict sense, limit rods (stops) are used to restrict the range of movement of an expansion joint or its component parts.
Angular rotation can be accommodated only if 2 tie rods are used, located 90 deg opposed to the direction of rotation.