KAYODE ABRAHAM SIMEON UNDERSTANDING PLINTH BEAMS IN BUILDINGS. UNDERSTANDING PLINTH BEAMS IN A BUILDING: ITS DEFINITION, PURPOSE, APPLICATIONS AND CONSTRUCTION KAYODE ABRAHAM SIMEON E-mail: simeonkayode2@gmail.com 1.0 Introduction AS a way of reducing cracks and collapses in building, designers adopted a method of casting two different beams (ground beam and plinth beam); the former is cast after the trench is excavated to tie the column starters while the latte above the substructure wall to give more strength to the foundation of the building. Now, we are going to discuss plinth beam in detail. A plinth beam is a reinforced concrete beam constructed above the foundation but below its wall. It is a beam in a framed structure provided at or above ground level that takes the oad of the wall built on top of it. Fig 1.1: A cast plinth beam 1.1 Purpose of Plinth Beam (1) Itprevents differential settlement in structures because all the load coming on the plinth beam is uniformly transfered to the foundation. (2) Itprevents the dampness from the foundation to enter the building. QB It ties all the column. () It prevents cracks from the foundation to reach the wall. (5) Itprevents the building to collapse during an earthquake. (6) Plinth beams distribute the load uniformly.KAYODE ABRAHAM SIMEON UNDERSTANDING PLINTH BEAMS IN BUILDINGS. 12 13 Application of a Plinth Beam a @) Itis mandatory to have a plinth beam in area that is prone to earthquake. Construction of a plinth beam above the ground level is another application of a plinth beam. Construction of a Plinth Beam: Its Detailings 13.1 13.2 Minimum Depth of a Plinth Beam The minimum depth of plinth beam is 200mm while its width should match the final course of the foundation. Take for instance, If the hollow sanderete blocks used is 6 inches (150mm) blocks, the width of the plinth beam should be 150mm and the width will be 225mm if the hollow sanderete blocks used is 9 inches(225mm). Plinth Beam Reinforcement Plinth beam is doubly reinforced, this means it has to be reinforced both on top and at the bottom of the plinth beam. It is mandatory to provide two steel bars with diameter not less than 12mm at the bottom of the beam. Likewise, two steel bars with minimum diameter of 10mm should be provided at the top of the plinth beam. The diameter of the stirrups, should be at least 6mm and a spacing of 150mm should be sufficient. ‘The concrete cover for the plinth beam should be 25mm to protect the reinforcement bars, Fig 1.2: Reinforcement Installation for Plinth BeamsKAYODE ABRAHAM SIMEON UNDERSTANDING PLINTH BEAMS IN BUILDINGS. 133 1.3.4 13.5 Formwork for Plinth Beam The shutters used for plinth beam construction should be installed carefully and properly, it should be secured adequately prior to concrete placement, iim Fig 1.3 Installation of Shutters for Plinth Beam Formwork Concrete Strength Suitable for Plinth Beam Construction The strength of plinth beam concrete according to BS 8110 shall not be smaller than 20MPa i.e grade20 characteristic strength. However, if the mixing is done manually, about 20% cement needs to be added to the initial quantity of cement. This is done to avoid loss of concrete strength. The mix ratio for the casting should be 1:3:6. Fig 1.4: The Mixing of the Plinth Beam Concrete ‘The Casting of the Plinth Beam The plinth beam to be cast with the mix ratio of 1:3:6 with aggregate size of 25mm in diameter with strength not less than 20MPa. The concrete to be placed properly to avoid segregation. The concrete should be compacted sufficiently using a poker vibrator to expel air and voids as well as to prevent steel bars from aggressive elements.KAYODE ABRAHAM SIMEON UNDERSTANDING PLINTH BEAMS IN BUILDINGS. Fig 1.4: Placement and Compaction of Concrete for Plinth BeamKAYODE ABRAHAM SIMEON UNDERSTANDING PLINTH BEAMS IN BUILDINGS.