Foundation for brick masonry veneer

[tajmeaw]

I have a 3 story building that has floor heights of 11'-3", 15'-3" and 10'-0" and the architect is wanting to put a brick veneer on the building. It will exceed the 30' requirement for wood backing. He is wanting to use load bearing masonry at the bottom floor and then attach a steel lintel angle to the top of the masonry wall and then go up 30' from there. Would you consider the steel lintel angle the noncombustible structural support or would you still make them put in a relieve angle at the top floor?

If I make them put in the relief angle, can you attach the angle to the wood?

 

[concretemasonry]

It depends whether the support must be noncombustible. Since brick is just a non-structural veneer and incompatible with wood frame construction (wood shrinks and clay brick expands) the are many design requirements for details. The spacing of the "soft" joints and support are very common. There many many recommendation from the BIA and others for spacing, but in this case a 30'+ height would certainly a support if if the structural system is combustible. Clay brick over wood fram up to 4 stories is common as long as there is proper relief angle spacing.

The main reason for the relief angles is the differential volume change is because the clay brick has a long term expansion and the wood has a long term shrinkage/creep resulting in detail problems and maintenance costs. Both steel and concrete/masonry have lesser changes.

Dick

Engineer and international traveler interested in construction techniques, problems and proper design.

 

[FinnB]

3 floors is normally the height limit for a steel brick relieving angle. In the UK and Ireland brick relieving angles must be made of stainless steel as it is not possible during future maintenance checks to identify if the angle has rusted as it is hidden behind the brick.

Generally we don't use fire protection on steel relieving angles but that may be different where you practice.