Lintel is a short beam with its ends built into a wall. It is a horizontal structure placed over small openings of the walls for doors windows ventilate cupboard etc. Width of the lintel is equal to the width of the wall. Bearing of the lintel is provided on the supporting wall is equal to the height of the wall.
Functions of Lintel:
Lintel carries weight or load of the masonry wall constructed above it.
It transmit the same to the supporting wall on its either side.
Types of Lintel:
- Timber Lintel
- Stone Lintel
- Brick Lintel
- Steel Lintel
- Reinforced Cement Concrete Lintel
Timber Lintel
- It is made of hard wood like Teak. It is embeded into the masonry wall at its ends.
- These Lintels are poor in strength non fire resistant and liable to be attacked by white ants.
- Cost of timber is also high, therefore these lintels are not used.
Stone Lintels:
- It consists of chisel drisel stone slabs either a single piece or more than a piece.
- It is not suitable for large spans since it is very heavy.
- It is used in stone masonry structures such as temple etc.
Brick Lintels:
- It consists of bricks placed on end or an edge of the wall.
- Brick lintels are weak in strength. Hence they can be used for light loads and for small openings or spans of upto 1 meter only.
Steel Lintels:
- Steel lintels are Rolled steel joints or channel sections.
- Steel lintels are used for large openings and heavy loads.
- Rolled steel joints are embeded in concrete to
- Increase in width to match with the width of the wall.
- Protect from rust and corrosion.
Reinforced Cement Concrete Lintels:
Advantages:
- RCC lintels are highly durable strong, rigid easy to form and fire proof.
- These are economical and simple in construction.
Uses:
- RCC Lintels are used for any span length of openings and for carrying any load.
- These are commonly used now a days replacing practically all other materials for lintels.
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