RSJ placed at ground level?

[plcanonica]

We are having work done on our Edwardian terrace, involving removal of most of the rear wall on the ground floor to make room for a large door/window. We have the drawings of a structural engineer but I am unconvinced: he has planned to make a vertical rectangle of steel to fit into the new opening. I am uncertain why he has put a steel running horizontally at ground level (the bottom edge of the rectangle). As far as I know this would not bear any load nor would it help to spread the load of the rest of the house which will be resting on top of the rectangle. Is this normal practice? Does it have any purpose? Normally I'd ask the engineer but he seems 'on the spectrum' and avoids human interaction!

 

[Dereekoo]

Since there are no sections shown through the Ground Floor Part Plans how have you deduced that there is a bottom steel. Although there is 203 x203x71 UC indicated on the top Ground Floor Part Plan I can't decide whether this is trying to show what's at GL or ceiling level (architects license?). If is a ground floor beam perhaps it just away of spreading any loading onto the existing footings as opposed to providing separate pad foundations for each vertical column. Best knock him of his spectrum and ask the question, you are paying for his services so make him bark.

 

[catlad]

Has he not done it just to spread the load.

 

[plcanonica]

Since there are no sections shown through the Ground Floor Part Plans how have you deduced that there is a bottom steel.

From the cross-section 3-3 on the second drawing: it looks as though there is a vertical steel joining to a horizontal at the top and another horizontal at the bottom.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Not uncommon, the arrangement maintains a distributed load on the existing foundations. Maybe your SE is aware of particular local conditions that make it unwise to load the outside walls.

 

[plcanonica]

That's great, thank you for the reassurance.

 

[Notch7]

Removing a wall for a bigger opening increases the load on either side.

On older properties that may have minimal foundations its common to either underpin with bigger pads or possibly with steel.

 

[Dereekoo]

From the cross-section 3-3 on the second drawing: it looks as though there is a vertical steel joining to a horizontal at the top and another horizontal at the bottom.

Not quite where I would expect the ground level connection to be shown but it is as you say.