RSJ Installed

[wordsch]

Hi looking for some advice, builder has installed an RSJ and cracks have started to show on the wall above it. Curious if it's anything to be concerned about

It spans the wall and to the corner where it then zigzags down a little. No visible cracks on the outside wall. Wondering if these are settlement cracks or something more sinister

 

[^woody^]

Quite a few threads on this situation.

It should not have happened.

Whether it's an issue or will continue to drop depends on a few things. Search the other threads

 

[blup]

They don’t look major, keep an eye on them in case they get wider but it’s probably down to deflection of the beam when it was installed, although it could be inadequate packing or careless removal of the props. Was the beam specced by an SE?

 

[tony1851]

Cracking above the level of the beam is not uncommon and is usually a one-off occurrence. Its when cracks appear below the level of the beam that
sets alarm bells ringing.
Having said that, most wall removals take place without incident. The cracks could be due to either a beam which is simply insuficient for the load, or bad workmanship on the part of the installer.

 

[wordsch]

Cracking above the level of the beam is not uncommon and is usually a one-off occurrence. Its when cracks appear below the level of the beam that
sets alarm bells ringing.
Having said that, most wall removals take place without incident. The cracks could be due to either a beam which is simply insuficient for the load, or bad workmanship on the part of the installer.

Would there be any other signs of the rsj being insufficient

 

[tony1851]

Would there be any other signs of the rsj being insufficient

If you had an SE provide calcs for the beam, their figures should have included a check for excessive deflection.
If the builder used his own judgement for the beam size - could be anyones guess....
What is the actual size of the beam (height x width) and what is the span?

 

[wordsch]

Was given this

 

[wordsch]

If you had an SE provide calcs for the beam, their figures should have included a check for excessive deflection.
If the builder used his own judgement for the beam size - could be anyones guess....
What is the actual size of the beam (height x width) and what is the span?

 

[tony1851]

What are the loading details?

 

[stevie888]

That's a big beam for the span.

Suggests to me that the cracks are due to poor installation.

 

[^woody^]

Yes, looks like someone has just used an online calculator. Crap in, crap out.

Almost all cracking in walls is from poor installation, which is why cracking should never happen.

 

[wordsch]

What are the loading details?

 

[wordsch]

That's a big beam for the span.

Suggests to me that the cracks are due to poor installation.

Builder did say there was a mishap with the supports when he was removing them. But as long as the beam is large enough for the span?

 

[stevie888]

No doubt in my mind it's big enough: looks like the floor span is over generous. I suspect the "designer" has forgotten that half the floor load is taken at each end of the joists. As Woody puts it CICO (though "garbage" is the more pc term!)

"Mishap with supports" sounds worrisome though.

 

[tony1851]

I was going to say precisely what Stevie has said - its a large beam for a relatively low load and not a large span.
I suspect the SE has picked a large section off the top of his head so as not to have to take time seeing if a smaller section would work.
Many SEs would be embarresed turning out nonsense like that.
Anyway, that's water under the bridge - the wall has ctacked so it could be poor installation, or maybe the brickwork above was in poor condition to start with?
Whatever the cause, you can't blame the beam itself!