RSJ PACKING

[Will Unwin]

Hi,

I'm installing an RSJ so I can knock through a 100mm brick internal wall which supports
1 set of floor joists above and a 1st floor brick wall.

(I've installed 3-4 RSJ's before but always with new piers, etc)

The wall is 3750mm wide, the opening is to be 2400mm and the steel is an 8" x 4" at 3500mm length. The engineer has spec'd it overside so that instead of having the usual 150mm-200mm overhang on pad stones/prestressed lintel, there is the best part of 600mm overhang of steel bedded directly into the existing brick work on a bed or dry 3:1 mortar.

The issue I have is that because of the configuration of the brick courses, if I lay the steel on the nearest whole course of bricks, it's leaves a gap from the top of the steel to the underside of the brickwork of 50-60mm.

Is this gap too large to pack out with slates followed by mortar pointing? I could try and lay another course of bricks on the bottom of 30-40mm thickness, but I don't know if this would be worse then just a large packed gap?

I'm waiting to hear from building control but they are very busy so am trying here first.

Cheers.

 

[^woody^]

Lift the bearings up.

 

[Will Unwin]

Thanks, that's was I suspected. Any recommendations on what to use to raise the bearings?

Raising the bearings would require 2 x beds of mortar at 15mm each that only leaves enough space for a brick/slab with thickness of 20mm or so. 20mm slate?

 

[^woody^]

Aren't you bedding a padstone or blue bricks or something?

If not, concrete slab, paver or clay tile. You dont need two beds of mortar

 

[Will Unwin]

Thanks for your replys

Because of the amount of steel sitting on the bearings (600mm in each side) the engineer says to just bed the steel directly onto the existing brick work using a strong mortar.

The two beds I was referring to was the one bedding the slab/paver/ or clay tile to the existing brick and then one bed to sit the steel onto that.

 

[^woody^]

The steel does not need to sit on a bed of mortar. If you find something of the right thickness, you can use it on its own or on a bed, and then place the steel on top.

50mm is a slab or a paver. You can just use a smear of wet cement or mortar to place them, and then slide the steel on top. Or cut some bricks.

 

[tony1851]

Question is - why in God's name has he specified a 600 long bearing?