Many moons ago, the forum handled a question similar to this, but one item (described below) was left unresolved:
Say you have a 30' high precast concrete wall (say double T's). Say each wall panel is 8' wide. And say you want to put a 12' wide opening into your wall (i.e. the opening will cross a panel joint).
Is it common practice to sandwich two steel plates to serve as a "header" across the opening? The rationale being that the plates would serve as a tie across the opening and allowing the concrete above to arch.
Can this model work across panel joints? What if there are no actual connections between the panels (except into the diaphragm up at the roof)?
Can anyone point me to literature that gives the green light or raises red flags?
Thank you in advance, Eng-Tips Brain Trust.
"We shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us." -WSC
Say you have a 30' high precast concrete wall (say double T's). Say each wall panel is 8' wide. And say you want to put a 12' wide opening into your wall (i.e. the opening will cross a panel joint).
Is it common practice to sandwich two steel plates to serve as a "header" across the opening? The rationale being that the plates would serve as a tie across the opening and allowing the concrete above to arch.
Can this model work across panel joints? What if there are no actual connections between the panels (except into the diaphragm up at the roof)?
Can anyone point me to literature that gives the green light or raises red flags?
Thank you in advance, Eng-Tips Brain Trust.
"We shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us." -WSC
