Discontinuous Beam Line

[jkday]

I am reviewing a proposed framing layout for a new single story ranch house with a crescent shaped floor plan. The basement foundation walls are concrete. One of the first floor steel beam lines bears on the concrete foundation wall at one end and terminates at a stair opening in the floor adjacent to the foundation wall at the opposite end. This means that the beam bears in a pocket in the concrete foundation wall at one end and terminates on a pipe column at the other end. The beam has 2x12 floor joists sitting on the top flange. I am going to require that the end of the beam bearing on the column have some type of mechanical fastener that ties the steel beam to the floor diaphram. My question is; is this a poor framing detail? I have some concerns about the beam line terminating short of the oppsite foundation wall at the side of a floor diaphragm opening. Any input would be appretiated.

 

[BAretired]

I don't think it is necessarily a poor framing detail, but you must be able to transmit lateral loads across the building by some means. It is simpler if the beam aligns with one edge of the floor opening.

BA

 

[rscassar]

I wouldn't say that it's a poor framing detail. I would have tried to get the bearer spanning from basement wall to basement wall and have the floor opening located between the bearers.

 

[msquared48]

The only thing I would be concerned about would be creating an unnatural hard spot in the framing where joists frame past a column that continues to below. This can create excessive warps in the floor sheathing leading to unsightly finishes.

Doesn't sound like this is the case here though.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
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