Brick steel lintel size
ARMANDO COBO
| Posted in General Questions on
Does anyone has a reliable chart or table for brick lintel length on each side of a brick wall opening? I’ve contacted brick suppliers and contractors, and apparently is all done by the way is always been done, and I hear 20 different answers.
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Replies
Armando,
The IRC requirements are shown in the image below. They come from this page:
http://publicecodes.cyberregs.com/icod/irc/2003/icod_irc_2003_7_par044.htm
More information is available here:
Structural Steel Lintels
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Armando,
Here is a better image of the code table -- without the typographical errors in the first image (the one that includes the ยข symbol for no particular reason).
This second image comes from this page:
http://media.iccsafe.org/news/eNews/2014v11n1/2012_bcb_res_p110-113.pdf
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Thank you Martin. I'm looking for end support dimensions over the wall opening, not the lintel size. I'm attaching a detail I've used in the past, with a 4" minimum on each end per code, however I would like to verify the end supports for 8'-18' spans.
Armando,
There is information on bearing requirements in one of the links I provided (Structural Steel Lintels). Even with that information, though, you may need to talk with an engineer. Here's what the document says:
"Bearing. In order to determine the overall length of a steel lintel, the required bearing area must be determined. The stress in the masonry supporting each end of the lintel should not exceed the allowable unit stress for the type of masonry used. For allowable bearing stresses, see "Building Code Requirements for Engineered Brick Masonry," BIA; "American Standard Building Code Requirements for Masonry," ANSI A41.1-1953 (R 1970); or the local building code. The reaction at each end of the lintel will be one-half the total uniform load on the lintel, plus a proportion of any concentrated load or partially distributed uniform load. The required area may be found by: [formula follows in original -- see image below] ...
"In addition, any stresses due to rotation from bending or torsion of the angle at its bearing must be taken into account. Since in selecting the steel section, the width of the section was determined, that width divided into the required bearing area, [another formula] ...
"This length should not be less than 3 in. (75 mm). If the openings are close together, the piers between these openings must be investigated to determine whether the reactions from the lintels plus the dead and live loads acting on the pier exceed the allowable unit compressive stress of the masonry.
"This condition will not normally occur where the loads are light, such as in most one and two-story structures."
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I should have said this chart was for a single masonry story. I do use an engineer for two story masonry walls or higher, typically those lintels are 9" high or a double linteled wall. I use 5.5" brick ledges, so 4" wide angles push the lintel all the way to the sheathing/foam and not have tilt. Thank you for your help.