Mar2805:
The triangular loading over the lintel is some attempt to represent the arching action on the brick or conc. blk. which could fall away (if the lintel was removed) or it is loading the lintel. In some fashion any masonry above the triangular shape (exact angle in some dispute) is carried out to the opening jambs and the wall beyond, by the inherent arching action of the masonry wall. The arching action also requires sufficient masonry wall beyond the opening, on both sides, to provide the horiz. thrust at the spring line of the arch, that is at the top of the opening and on down to the found. Of course, reinforcing and grouting can easily start to turn the lintel into a deep beam up to the slab level. If you only have a few courses of masonry up the underside of the slab, I’d use a full rectangular shape for the masonry loading. But, if the slab is high enough so that .5, .67 or .75 of the triangular load shape height is below the slab bottom, I’d be comfortable using the triangular shaped masonry loading, plus a line load for the slab and all above it, which it is carrying. The length of this line load might be a little less than the full width of the opening below, with the realization that the arching action carries that last couple feet of load out to the jambs and wall beyond. Maybe akin to a strut and tie action above your triangular shape. You might run the jamb rebar up into a bond beam under the slab to tie it all together. Lintel deflection may be as important as bending. This whole loading thing is a bit subjective and may not offer much savings in rebar or grout. We are kinda nit-picking here, but the arching action tends to reduce the bending and shear loading on the lintel, but you must still provide for the total loading from above immediately around the two jambs. And, you must tie sufficient wall in on each side so the thrust from any arching action can take place.