Name: brick wall supports for doors and windows
Uploaded: 2024-09-12T16:16:25.000Z
Duration: 1 min 20 s
Channel: JoVE

When building brick walls, openings for windows and doors need to be supported with lintels, corbels, and arches to withstand the loads from the wall above.
Lintels can be made of reinforced concrete or steel angles and are simple to install. Lintels are usually hidden in the brick walls.
Corbels have limited spanning capability and are best used for small openings or ornamentation, sometimes as a beam-supporting bracket.
Brick arches are a widely used and powerful structural form, but their construction requires precision. A centering of wood or steel is needed, and constructing spandrels can be time-consuming.
Gauged brick arches require each brick to be rubbed to the shape of the wedge needed, making them expensive to construct. Rough arches depend on wedge-shaped mortar joints for their curvature.
Brick manufacturers can custom-produce tapered bricks for arches tailored to any specific shape and span.
When the arch is moved perpendicularly to its plane, it results in a barrel vault, and when the same arch is rotated about its vertical centerline, it forms a dome.

spanning openings in brick walls

In brick wall construction, supporting structures are crucial for openings like windows and doors to maintain the integrity and support the weight of the wall above. These supports include lintels, corbels, and arches, each serving specific structural purposes.
Lintels are primary supports used to span openings and can be crafted from materials such as reinforced concrete, steel-reinforced brick masonry, or simple steel angles. These are straightforward to install and are typically concealed within the brickwork, making them invisible in the completed structure.
Corbels, offering limited spanning capabilities, are ideal for smaller openings or as decorative elements. They can also serve as supporting brackets for beams, adding both functional and aesthetic value to the structure.
Brick arches represent a more traditional and aesthetically pleasing method of spanning openings, but require precise construction techniques. They necessitate the use of a temporary wooden or steel framework known as centering, which supports the structure during construction. Gauged brick arches involve individually shaping each brick, leading to higher construction costs, while rough arches rely on wedge-shaped mortar joints to form their curvature.
For customized architectural requirements, manufacturers can produce tapered bricks specifically designed for arches, accommodating various shapes and spans. Additionally, architectural adaptations of arches include the creation of barrel vaults by extending the arch perpendicularly to its plane and domes by rotating the arch about its vertical centerline.

Spanning Openings in Brick Walls

When building brick walls, openings for windows and doors need to be supported with lintels, corbels, and arches to withstand the loads from the wall ...

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JoVE Core

Civil Engineering

Unit 1

Masonry Materials

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

brick wall supports for doors and windows

Brick wall supports help keep openings for doors and windows stable. These supports hold up the weight of the wall above the opening. The main options are lintels, corbels, and arches.

Lintels are the main support used to span an opening. They can be made from reinforced concrete, steel-reinforced brick masonry, or simple steel angles. Lintels are usually easy to install and are often hidden inside the brickwork, so they are not visible in the finished wall.

Corbels provide only limited spanning ability. They work well for smaller openings and can also be used as decorative features. In some cases, corbels act as supporting brackets for beams, which adds both function and visual detail.

Brick arches offer a more traditional and attractive way to span openings. They require careful building and a temporary frame called centering, which may be made of wood or steel. Gauged brick arches use individually shaped bricks and cost more, while rough arches use wedge-shaped mortar joints to form the curve. Manufacturers can also make tapered bricks for custom arch shapes and spans. Arch forms can be extended into barrel vaults by carrying the arch perpendicular to its plane, or into domes by rotating the arch around its vertical centerline.

Brick Wall Supports for Doors and Windows

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Brick wall supports help keep openings for doors and windows stable. These supports hold up the weight of the wall above the opening. The main options are lintels, corbels, and arches. Lintels are the main support used to span an opening. They can be made from reinforced concrete, steel-reinforced brick masonry, or simple steel angles. Lintels are usually easy to install and are often hidden inside the brickwork, so they are not visible in the finished wall. Corbels provide only limited...

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key terms and concepts

Explore lintels, corbels, and brick arches used to support doors and windows in brick walls, including centering, tapered bricks, and vault forms.

Brick Wall Supports for Doors and Windows | JoVE K12

JoVE Core Civil Engineering offers a foundational exploration of essential construction materials such as bricks, stones, steel, wood, and concrete, along with fluid mechanics topics like flow over immersed bodies, open channel flow, and dimensional modeling. It also covers key surveying concepts, including leveling, traverse adjustments, curve design, topographic mapping, and geospatial technologies (GPS & GIS). Science-in-action videos showcase laboratory research on materials, fluids, and surveying practices in real-world engineering systems.

civil engineering

Brick Wall Supports for Doors and Windows

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