Scheme of a strip foundation for a house, preparation and marking. Self-supporting and curtain walls What are they?

Those who have decided to start construction or carry out redevelopment in an already erected building should know what a load-bearing wall is and the dangers of its destruction. The purpose of a load-bearing wall is the ability to take on loads from other parts of the building, floors and roof. In order not to face the danger of destruction of the building, before starting work you need to determine which walls are load-bearing and carry out all the planned activities without touching these structures.

What is the difference

Walls are the main structural part of a building, but not all of them are able to withstand the load coming from the floors and roof. For this purpose, each building is equipped with load-bearing walls. Partitions that can only withstand the load of their own weight help to divide the space in a built house. Such walls are called self-supporting. The purpose of each non-load-bearing wall is to serve as a space delimiter, if necessary, simply to highlight a separate room.

Simply put, load-bearing walls are structures on which something rests. In every building, load-bearing and non-load-bearing walls play important role, but if the load-bearing support is a reliable support, a high-quality frame of the building, then not load-bearing partition, which, if desired, can be demolished during redevelopment without causing damage to the building. All walls are divided into load-bearing, self-supporting and non-load-bearing. Already by the name it becomes clear which of them are built in order to take on the main load.

Such a partition can be erected from:

bricks,
aerated concrete.

As self-supporting walls in panel houses installing monolithic slabs. Such curtain walls can be used to create additional passage by cutting openings into them and installing doors.

Correctly recognizing which walls are load-bearing means successfully carrying out redevelopment without disturbing building codes and rules, without risking creating a situation the end result of which would be the destruction of the building. , which means changing the distribution of the load, and this will lead to skewing of the building, collapse of the ceiling and cracking of the remaining permanent structures.

They ensure the safety of not only the apartment in which renovation is underway or redevelopment is planned. The safety of dwellings located on the lower floors depends on their quality and integrity. The main difference between load-bearing structures and self-supporting ones is. Knowing the differences is not enough; you need to be able to correctly determine which wall is load-bearing.

It is necessary to know exactly which walls can be demolished during redevelopment and which should remain untouched, at what thickness it is permissible to make an opening in the wall, and when it is too dangerous to carry out such work.

There are certain requirements that I have for load-bearing walls:

Strength and stability.
Compliance with all fire safety standards.
High level of heat, hydro, sound insulation.

Another feature of the load-bearing wall, due to which such structures differ, is the uniform distribution of the horizontal load exerted by the floor slabs. An important criterion for strength, reliability and stability is the thickness of the load-bearing wall. This value is set for brick, monolithic and panel interior walls.

Strict adherence to established standards makes it easier to determine the load-bearing wall in any building or room.

Definition

Having learned what a load-bearing wall is, you can understand how important it is to build this structure in strict accordance with all existing standards and rules. Such walls are a natural continuation of the building itself, the beginning of which is the foundation. To avoid great difficulties and troubles in the process of redevelopment, you need to know how to determine the load-bearing wall in an apartment. In most cases, it is enough to carefully study the technical documentation and determine the location of load-bearing walls on the building plan. However, it happens that there is no plan and you have to independently determine the quality and purpose of the erected structures.

Features of construction panel buildings is that in monolithic house as supporting structure reinforced concrete panels are used. Their thickness ranges from 100 to 200 mm. Structures made of gypsum concrete panels act as interior partitions, and their thickness does not exceed 80-100 mm. Thus, by measuring the thickness of the wall, you can recognize the load-bearing wall, the demolition of which in such a building is strictly prohibited. Non-compliance established rules will lead to inevitable deflection and collapse of the ceiling.

One of the most important indicators is the thickness of load-bearing walls in brick houses. To distinguish a load-bearing wall, you need to know its thickness, but it is better to have a construction plan on which all load-bearing structures are marked. Self-supporting walls in an apartment, as a rule, are much thinner than permanent structures. The thickness of the walls that bear the load from their own weight varies from 5 cm to 400 mm. Such a partition can be built from plasterboard, but more often it is a wall built from brick (half-brick masonry).

An experienced master will tell you how to find out whether the wall is load-bearing or not. brick house, but the size of the structure will also help to understand this. Its peculiarity is that the thickness brick wall is a multiple of this brick parameter, plus the thickness of the adhesion layer and finishing material. Thus, it is possible to find out which wall is in front of the builders. The thickness of the partition does not exceed 380 mm, and for a load-bearing wall this size is the minimum. The maximum thickness of a load-bearing wall in a brick house reaches 640 mm. Peculiarity of this building is that an opening can be made in such walls. This is justified by the possibility of providing additional reinforcement to maintain uniform distribution of horizontal loads.

Their parameters will help you distinguish which walls can be demolished and which are strictly prohibited:

from 80 to 380 mm - interior partition, which can be demolished if necessary;
from 380 to 510 mm - internal load-bearing wall, subject to demolition subject to high-quality strengthening;
from 510 to 640 mm - external load-bearing wall.

Brick houses or built according to a constructive plan, distinctive feature which is the presence of 3 longitudinal load-bearing walls (on the plan green color) and transverse walls called stiffening diaphragms (highlighted in blue).

Owners of apartments whose windows faced the front side of the house had the opportunity to build an extension or even make an additional window. You can get more detailed answers to all existing questions by watching the video.

When starting work on housing redevelopment, you need to carefully study the apartment plan, which indicates the dimensions and purpose of the walls; if there is no opportunity to familiarize yourself with the documentation, then you should not make responsible decisions without measuring the thickness of the walls.

When constructing houses, both multi-storey and private country houses, load-bearing or self-supporting walls can be erected. The first type of enclosing structures experiences serious loads from the floors and roof. Self-supporting walls are vertical elements of a building on which nothing rests. During the operation of the house, loads in such structures arise only from their own weight.

What are they?

Basic distinctive feature Self-supporting walls, in comparison with loaded ones, is that they have a small thickness. Accordingly, less material is used during their construction. The thickness of the walls of this type, depending on what they were built from, can range from 50-380 mm.

Features of operation

According to SNiP standards, in such structures when performing redevelopment in multi-storey and country houses It is allowed to make openings or expand them to the required parameters. Also, walls of this type, in some cases, can even be dismantled and rebuilt without the risk of collapse of other building structures.

Calculation

Before starting the construction of any house, of course, a detailed design is drawn up. At the same time, such an operation as the calculation of self-supporting, non-load-bearing and loaded walls for stability is also performed. For brick structures, for example, such calculations are made taking into account data from several tables from paragraphs 6.16-6.20 of SNiP II-22-81. In any case, when calculating the stability of a self-supporting wall, the compliance of the ratio of its thickness to height with a given geometry with standard values is determined.

Features of construction

It is possible to build such enclosing structures from almost any materials. Self-supporting walls are elements of a building that can be constructed from wood, brick, or blocks. In any case, such structures are assembled exclusively on strong supports. Their foundations are poured simultaneously with the foundation of the building itself.

Self-supporting brick, block walls, etc. are mated with other types of enclosing structures exclusively using flexible connections. When using rigid ones, due to unequal degrees of loading, building elements may subsequently crack and become deformed. Accordingly, living in the house will become unsafe.

Self-supporting walls are structures that, when laid with bricks or blocks, are required to be reinforced according to standards. However, such enclosing parts of buildings are usually strengthened not as thoroughly as loaded ones. When constructing walls of this type, rods are inserted through a larger number of rows of masonry. According to the standards, reinforcement for such structures can be used with a diameter of 1-2 mm.

Materials for multi-storey buildings

During construction high-rise buildings Self-supporting external walls can be constructed from:

hollow, porous, solid ceramic bricks;
sand-lime brick.

When constructing buildings with not too many floors, blocks are sometimes also used:

arbolite;
ceramic;
made of foam or aerated concrete;
expanded clay concrete and any other large format.

A feature of such materials in comparison, for example, with the same brick, is a relatively low degree of strength. Therefore, their standards allow the use of them, depending on the type, when constructing houses no more than 3-5 floors high.

I wrote this article in April. And I put it aside in the hope that I would select illustrations, and perhaps break them into small blocks - more suitable for the format of this LJ.
But it’s already January next year - and I don’t know when I’ll do this.
That's why I'm posting it in its entirety, without illustrations, and if someone makes it to the end - tell me about it - I'll sign you up as a hero :)

Walls:
The walls of buildings are load-bearing, self-supporting and non-supporting.
What are the differences, how does it work and how does it manifest itself externally and in architectural aesthetics.

A load-bearing wall is a wall that supports the roof structure (or balconies, or any other load) - this wall that is structural element. Part of a working structure. Like a post or beam in a post-and-beam system.
A self-supporting wall is a wall that does not carry anything additional - but has its own weight. That is, it bears its own weight, at least. The higher it gets, the greater the weight, the more similar its properties are to a load-bearing one.
A supportable wall is a wall that is supported not by what is below, but by what is on the side or above. That is, if it’s quite simple, it’s either a thing suspended on something, or nailed to a certain structure like a cladding. Such a wall has mainly an enclosing function - almost unrelated to the structure.

And now imagine a self-supporting wall made of brick or stone.
Ideally, stones and bricks lie flat in it, the load presses from top to bottom. The lower, the greater the load - it’s normal if the wall begins to expand and strengthen towards the bottom. Perhaps the wall will have a slope - like the walls of fortresses - narrower at the top.

If the wall is loaded and it becomes load-bearing (or a very large self-supporting one), this whole ideal picture will not work. Because a lot of additional loads will appear in the wall - which, although according to the design, should act strictly vertically - in reality - due to non-ideal density, due to loads that have some lateral shifts, etc. – a lot of stress will occur inside the wall. Of the obvious and understandable ones - to the edge of the wall, to the corner of the building, all sorts of lateral moments will accumulate and at the corner it will be necessary heaviest load. Therefore, the corners seem to be strengthened and thickened in even simple buildings. Often it is necessary to remove excess load from window and doorways– to make the jumper easier. Sometimes during the construction process a certain tension accumulates that needs to be removed.
Load-distributing arches, etc. appear in the wall. things.

This is the picture for all load-bearing and self-supporting walls. The corners are reinforced, the masonry is complex so that there are dressings, the load accumulates towards the bottom and the wall thickens.
This is suitable for traditional materials - stone and brick. The same picture applies to all kinds of modern blocks (in fact, these are the same stones - just artificial). The same picture for reinforced concrete (monolithic) walls. Only there the internal stresses immediately go to the reinforcement and the strength is much higher than that of natural stone. But the principle is the same.
It’s a little different with wood, because you can’t install a distribution arch in it. But they don’t build from wood and very high or heavily loaded walls. But greater force is exerted on the angle, structures that lighten the jumpers appear - that is general principles are saved.

There is an architectural - aesthetic - expression for load-bearing and self-supporting walls. Just as an order is the ideal expression of a post-and-beam structure in stone and wood, so for a wall there is an architectural element - rustication. Rust is an image of large masonry blocks in a wall. Sometimes it is made of stone, sometimes it is purely decorative - made of plaster. When doing rustication, the architect tells us that the wall is load-bearing. Well, or at least self-supporting. The more powerful the rust, the more likely it is that it is a load-bearing wall. Making a pronounced rust on a wall that is clearly self-supporting is quite strange. Can. But less justified. And rustication (even exaggerated decorative) on supported panels is simply not an understanding of its essence and design in general.

Remember, we talked about whether the order on the Colosseum is decorative or not. (link)
So - in the Renaissance, almost the same combination of two structural systems on the facade. On the one hand, the wall is rusticated, that is, telling the viewer that it is load-bearing. On the other hand, pilasters appear, which seem to show that there is some kind of post-and-beam frame inside.
And researchers talk about the contradiction of these systems. Or – that the order on such facades is purely decorative.
Firstly - for some reason no one says that this could be a real carnassus - and the filling with a wall between is self-supporting (well, they don’t say - because this really is not the case - at least in the Renaissance, although I think if you dig deeper - in the 19th century such mixed structures already existed - when the frame was connected to the wall)
Secondly, as with the Colosseum, these systems complement each other and are intertwined.

How it happens in this design: in its most primitive form - A leveling beam is placed on the load-bearing wall, which distributes all further loads evenly. They are placed on it with a certain step cross beams, on which the ceiling rests. If there were no beams, the beams would press pointwise and the internal loads in the wall would be more varied.
But nevertheless, the beams do not press evenly on every cm of the wall.
Secondly, what we said is that the corners bear a large load.
And thirdly, if the building has transverse walls - and there are more than 2-3 windows on the facade - then in the places where they connect with the main wall there is also a large horizontal load (and, by the way, a smaller vertical load - if cross wall also load-bearing, but it is usually self-supporting)
So the appearance of certain vertical elements on the façade - half-columns, pilasters - seems to be justified by a post-and-beam system. Of course - if they express internal layout buildings and repeat interior walls– this is doubly justified. But often you have to cheat somewhere and add extra ones - for an even step or for the beauty of the facade.
Still call it clean decorative elements- it is forbidden. They are tectonic.

Working in monolithic reinforced concrete we can absorb all these loads with reinforcement. And make a perfectly smooth, even wall. However, this flat wall will be just decoration - not reflecting the inner work.
Perhaps, in order for a reinforced concrete wall to be a truly pronounced structure, its reinforcement should, as it were, “shine through” - like the veins on a person’s arms or read like a skeleton. Seeing Living being– we won’t be able to draw his skeleton. But imagine the main load-bearing structure inside - we can completely. However, the principle of operation reinforced concrete wall not much different from stone (yes, stronger, yes - you can make more complex things, larger protrusions and lintels - but the principles are the same - the load acts from top to bottom)

So - at the beginning of the 20th century, designs appeared that made it possible to simply hang a wall on them. And make any wall. Glass. Made from lightweight foam, etc. Loose walls appear.

It must be said that in architecture, a load-bearing, self-supporting or self-supporting structure is a very important criterion. They are often sharply different, painted radically different colors– like black-and-white half-timbered or white-colored classicism.

Therefore, if the wall is unsupported, it is very important to show and emphasize (well, because we remember that tectonics is the basic principle of architecture - and exceptions only confirm the rules)

That is, there are two options - to identify and aestheticize modern hanging structure. Or deliberately abandon the principle of tectonics - and create something completely different. What do deconstructionists do? But this must be done a) masterfully b) clearly. Like a bright focus theatrical performance. Or pure decorativeness - with bright color. Ideally, an elegant joke. So far I don’t see any application or path for this in mass architecture. This is a separate conversation, of course...

So - if the wall is unmovable - then it would be good to identify and emphasize this. How can I do that?
1. identify and show load-bearing frame making the wall almost invisible. For example glass. So at Foster - in a cucumber. The frame has been revealed. Glass is portable. By the way, Koolhaas too (despite the fact that he is a deconstructivist and, in general, the Chinese skyscraper does not come from the design). Any buildings “just pieces of glass” do not meet this criterion, because the frame is not revealed.
2. develop a decorative expression that the wall is supported not by what is below, but by what is on the side (or suspended). It could be rivets. (or any other fastenings based on the principle - nails, screws, etc.) These could be some kind of latches around the perimeter - similar to glass in frames. Such options were made by Otto Wagner for cladding (by the way, all this can also apply to simply decorative wall cladding) - this is not rustication - these are panels “nailed” to a wall or frame. In modern architecture this option has not been developed at all.
3. Look for the aesthetics of the curtain walls in the old curtain walls. For example, in skins that were stretched over the frame of yurts, etc. dwellings... To go by demonstrating that the wall is flexible and cannot hold without an internal supporting frame - it means it is there. Perhaps the time has not yet come for this - and not yet modern technology flexible fabric for walls. Especially something involving windows. Although I think that this is quite possible. But this is a question for technologists... partly this is expressed by Zaha Hadid - in her flexible walls.

When constructing any building, they are used Various types walls, each of which plays its own important role in construction.

What are self-supporting walls? How their design differs from load-bearing and non-load-bearing walls is all about this in our article today.

Wall types

There are several types of walls that are present in every multi-story or private house.

Bearing wall- the main load-bearing and enclosing vertical structure of a building, which rests on and transfers the load from the floors and the own weight of the wall to the foundation, separating adjacent rooms in the building and protecting them from impact external environment.
- an external vertical enclosing structure that protects the interior of the building from the influence of the external environment, rests on and transfers the load from its own weight to the foundation.
Curtain wall – outer wall, resting on the ceiling within one floor with a floor height of no more than 6 m. (at a higher floor height, these walls are considered self-supporting) and protect the building from the outside from the influence of the external environment.
Partition– internal vertical fencing curtain wall, resting on the ceiling and separating adjacent rooms in the building.

What are they?

The main distinguishing feature of self-supporting walls, in comparison with loaded ones, is that they have a small thickness. Accordingly, less material is used during their construction. The thickness of the walls of this type, depending on what they were built from, can range from 50-380 mm.

Self-supporting walls are basically only external enclosing structures. Such elements of the building simply protect its interior from wind and precipitation, adjacent to the main frame. Ceilings to such walls are attached to the side on all floors in height. When building houses, both single-layer and multi-layer self-supporting enclosing structures can be erected. If walls of this type are located inside the building, they only serve as partitions.

Features of operation

According to SNiP standards, in such structures, when performing redevelopment in multi-story and country houses, it is allowed to make openings or expand them to the required parameters. Also, walls of this type, in some cases, can even be dismantled and rebuilt without the risk of collapse of other building structures.

Calculation

Before starting the construction of any house, of course, a detailed design is drawn up. At the same time, an operation such as the calculation of self-supporting, non-load-bearing and loaded walls for stability is also performed. For brick structures, for example, such calculations are made taking into account data from several tables from paragraphs 6.16-6.20 of SNiP II-22-81. In any case, when calculating the stability of a self-supporting wall, the compliance of the ratio of its thickness to height with a given geometry with standard values is determined.

Features of construction

Materials for multi-storey buildings

When constructing high-rise buildings, self-supporting external walls can be constructed from:

hollow, porous, solid ceramic bricks;
sand-lime brick.

When constructing buildings with not too many floors, blocks are sometimes also used:

arbolite;
ceramic;
made of foam or aerated concrete;
expanded clay concrete and any other large format.

In architecture, a load-bearing, self-supporting or self-supporting structure is a very important criterion. Since they differ sharply in their functions. Walls are a structural element of buildings and structures, which have differences in technical indicators and in external architectural forms. In this article we will tell you what self-supporting walls are and why they are built.

Self-supporting walls - what are they? These are structures of small thickness, which are designed as external enclosing structures of a building (structure) capable of protecting the object from wind and snow loads.

During their construction, little material is required, but the thickness is a calculated value and is determined by the stability indicator in accordance with the ratio of thickness to height for a given geometry with standard values. On average, thickness can vary from 50 to 300 mm. Thus, it is possible to define self-supporting walls - that they are economical structures.

Calculation of self-supporting walls for stability in a project is as important as non-load-bearing and loaded structures. This takes into account the material from which the walls are made. For self-supporting brick walls, the data is calculated using several tables from paragraphs 6.16-6.20 of SNiP II-22-81.

Self-supporting walls adjacent to frame system. Ceilings to such walls are attached to the side on all floors in height. IN construction industry Both single-layer and multi-layer self-supporting enclosing structures are used. Inside the building, offices and rooms are partitioned off with self-supporting walls. It turns out that self-supporting walls are frame elements on the outside, and ordinary partitions on the inside.

Since we are defining self-supporting walls - what they are, it is necessary to pay attention to the conditions of their operation. According to SNiP standards, in such structures, when performing redevelopment, it is allowed to make openings or expand them to the required parameters. Also, self-supporting walls can be dismantled and rebuilt without the risk of collapse of other building structures.

Let us conclude that self-supporting walls are walls that have no function other than to bear their own weight. The higher these walls are, the greater the weight, which brings these structures closer in properties to load-bearing walls that support the roof structure (or balconies, or any other load) and are a structural element (part of a working structure), like a post or beam in a post-and-beam structure system.

Ideally, self-supporting walls made of stone and brick are the smoothest structures; the loads in them are distributed from top to bottom, taking into account the lower, the greater the load. If a self-supporting wall is additionally loaded, various stresses will appear in the structure, which will act vertically, which will cause lateral shifts and change the density indicator. The accumulated stress in the structures of self-supporting walls is removed (redistributed) using arch structures, removing excess loads from window and door openings, and by thickening the corners of buildings (structures).

This situation is suitable for self-supporting walls made of traditional materials - stone and brick. The masonry of them is complex, the corners are strengthened with bandages, the structure at the bottom thickens, since all the loads accumulate there. U modern buildings made of reinforced concrete and monolith, internal stresses are immediately distributed to reinforcement, whose strength is higher than that of stone or brick. But the very principle of constructing self-supporting reinforced concrete (monolithic) walls remains the same.

At the beginning of the article, we said that self-supporting walls are economical structures with significant differences in technical indicators and in external architectural forms. For the architectural expression of self-supporting structures in a post-and-beam structure, rustication is used - an aesthetic image of large masonry blocks in the wall. The rustication can be made of stone, or have a decorative meaning and be made of plaster. The more powerful the rust, the more pronounced the functions of self-supporting structures. Exaggerated decorative rustication is often found on load-bearing panels of building premises, giving an understanding of the essence of structures and visually answering the question: self-supporting walls - what are they and how practical is their use in construction production.

For all questions regarding the design of roof and wall structures, consult the company’s specialists by calling 209-09-40. Call! We look forward to collaborating!

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