×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Concrete beam has been cut

Concrete beam has been cut

Concrete beam has been cut

(OP)
My house interior size is 20x30ft but now I'm extending it to 20x36ft. There's a concrete beam on the 30th feet but my contractor cut the beam into half thus at the same time remove the bottom steel rebar. Originally got 2 top and 2 at the bottom but now only left 2 top. The strength of the beam is greatly reduce and will not hold in my opinion but eh contractor said it will. Note: he did nothing to distribute the load from the cut beam. Is there anything can be done to fix it to prevent the beam from deflect?

A structural engineer advise to add a 3x3in steel bar (square in size and blank in the middle) or what ever it call just right at the bottom of the cut beam to prevent deflection. Will it help?

RE: Concrete beam has been cut

Have the contractor put shoring under the beam immediately. Then have a structural engineer evaluate and design a repair. A 3x3 tube steel (HSS) section can be an appropriate repair; however other repair methods might present a better/more workable profile for residential use.

Your contractor should be prepared to pay all costs of repair and design for the repair. He screwed up!

RE: Concrete beam has been cut

Bigtime... Agree with Ron totally.

You always need bottom steel in a structural concrete beam. Sometimes the steel on top is non-structural, but that depends on the system of support and the loading on the beam.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

RE: Concrete beam has been cut

Why did the contractor cut the beam? For a new doorway? I assume the 3 x 3 HSS is vertical, i.e. a column. If so, you probably need one on both sides of the opening.

RE: Concrete beam has been cut

Lotiman,
Take Ron's advice, hire somebody local and competent to look at it and go from there. The forums here are intended for engineering discussions, but when it comes to actually making engineering recommendations, you need somebody that is working for you and can look at it in person if necessary, not random strangers on the internet looking at pictures.

RE: Concrete beam has been cut

The contractor was wrong to cut the beam without first checking with an engineer to see if it was okay. The beam should be supported temporarily and work should be stopped pending a review and recommendation by a local structural engineer.

BA

RE: Concrete beam has been cut

You've heard from the best, listen to their advice! One other thing: if it's as you describe it may be a serious safety issue. Evacuate the building until a local structural engineer can advise otherwise.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources