Lintels and Arches

Lintels and arches
LINTEL
It is a beam-like horizontal structural
flexural member,used to span over the
openings of doors,windows and cup-
boards.lintel bahaves just like beam.it
provides a bearing for the masonry above
the openings and transfers all the loads
acting over the opening to the supporting
walls.
Classification of lintels
There can be only one classification of lintel
and that is according to the materials used
1)Timber lintel
2)stone lintel
3)brick lintel
4)reinforced brick work lintels
5)steel lintel
6)R.C.C lintel
7)thin lintel
Timber or wooden lintel:
In old days when technology was not much
advanced,timber lintels were very commonly in
use.but now a days availability of timber has
become difficult and costly.
They are combustible and hence not
recommended for use in fireproof
constructions.minimum depth of the wooden
lintel should be 7.5cm. Timber lintels are
comparitively weak.
Stone lintel
 Stone lintels are very common in use in regions
where stone is easily available.they may be
used in form of single-piece or more than one
piece.stone lintels are very weak in tension and
thus,cannot be used on large spans.
Brick lintels
 Brick lintels are made by using first class bricks

either laid on end or on edge.
They are suitable for small spans not
exceeding 90cm.for the construction of this
lintel a temporary timber support known as
turning piece is constructed first.
For larger spans and heavy loads this
lintel should not be used.in that case,
reinforced brick lintel may be used.
Reinforced brick work lintel
When brick lintels have to be used over large
spans,they are reinforced with steel bars.bricks
are arranged in such a way that 2cm to 4cm
wide,lengthwise,spaces are left in the brick
rows.steel rods are put in these gaps and
spaces are then filled with rich cement mortar
or concrete.
If the gap is about 20mm wide rich cement is
used.if the gap is about 40mm,it should be
filled withcement concrete.
The depth of the lintel should be minimum
100mm.
Steel lintel
Steel lintels may be made from angle irons or
rolled steel joists.angle irons are used for small
spans and light loads whereas rolled steel joists
are used for heavy loads and large spans.
Rolled steel joists may be used singly or in
group of more than one joist.
The joists may be painted and left open.but if
building is to be rendered fire-proof the joists
should be embedded in concrete.
R.C.C lintel
This is the lintel which has partially replaced

all other types of lintels.
this lintel is durable,strong,corrosion
resistant,and fire resistant.
It is economical than all other lintels and
easy to construct.
It can be used for any span and any load.
Arch
 Like lintel,arch is also a measure of covering or
bridging over the openings of doors,windows
etc.left in the masonry walls.
 It consists of arranging wedge shaped stone
blocks or bricks mechanically,in the form of
circular,elliptical or any other form of ring over
the openings.
 Wedge shaped blocks are joined generally with
rich mortar or lime mortar.
 Arches of cement concrete,R.C.C. and steel are
not built in wedge-shaped units but in form of a
single unit.
 Arches can be classified in the following ways:
1)based on shape
2)based according to number of centres
3)based on type of workmanship
4)based on materials of construction
 Classification based on shapes:
 Flat arch:
 It is constructed from specially cut blocks or stones.
 All the joints are made to radiate from one common
point.
 The skew back is sloped at an angle of 60 degrees
with the horizontal.
 This arch is weak type of arch and mostly used for
face work.
 Segmental arch:
 In this arch,segment is smaller than the semicircle.the
centre of this arch is situated below the springing line.
 Semicircular arch:
 In this arch length of arch is equal to the
semicircle.centre of the arch lies on the springing line
of the arch.
 Inverted arch:
this arch may be segmental,semicircular or of any
other shape.it is constructed inverted or with extrados
downward and intrados upward.it is constructed to
increase the bearing power of the soil.
Pointed arch:
 This arch consists of two curves meeting at the
apex of a triangle.
 The triangle formed may be equilateral or
isosceles.
 In case triangle formed is equilateral,centres of
the curves will lie at springing points.
 In the case of isosceles triangle arch centres of
curves are not at the springing points.
Semi-elliptical arch:
 This arch has more than one centre and its
shape is that of semi-ellipse.
Relieving arch:
 This arch is used to relieve weak lintel or flat
arch from the load coming on it.
 Shape of this arch may be segmental or semi-
circular.
 The ends of relieving arch should be kept
sufficiently inside the solid wall and there should
be enough cover beyond the ends of the lintel.
Horse-shoe arch:
 This arch has centre above the springing line of
the arch.this arch is longer than semicircle.
 Stilled arch:
 It consists of a semi-circular arch attached at the top
of two vertical posts.
 Springing line of the arch passes through the top of
vertical posts.
 Venetian arch:
 Depth of arch at crown is more than at the springing
line.this arch has four centres.
Florentine arch:
 This arch has intrados in shape of a semi-circle but its
extrados comprise of three centres.
 Drop arch and Gothic arch:
 Both these arches are similar to isosceles arch
with little bit of difference in centres of both the
curves.
Classification based on number of
centres
 One-centered arch:
 This arch has only one centre.semicircular arch,
segmental arch and horse-shoe arch are all
examples of one-centred arch.one centred arch
may be equal to full length of the circle also.

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Lintels and arches

 Brick lintels are made by using first class bricks

This is the lintel which has partially replaced

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