Good evening everyone,
I would like to enlarge this arch from a curved archway to a rectangular opening. However, I’m not sure if a support beam has been installed there. My biggest concern is that the arch might be load-bearing. But is that even possible?
According to the original building plan from 1960, there was no arch but a wall with a cavity. I’m attaching a photo as well. Today, however, the arch is there. I hope someone can give me some advice.
I would like to enlarge this arch from a curved archway to a rectangular opening. However, I’m not sure if a support beam has been installed there. My biggest concern is that the arch might be load-bearing. But is that even possible?
According to the original building plan from 1960, there was no arch but a wall with a cavity. I’m attaching a photo as well. Today, however, the arch is there. I hope someone can give me some advice.
S
sascha-t4-le8 Aug 2021 08:54The plan took 10 minutes to load, so I only looked at the basement level. OK, from the reinforcement plans we understand that it is a reinforced concrete slab with a thickness of 12cm (5 inches) and that the wall with the arch is load-bearing.
In my opinion, the arch definitely cannot support more than its own weight. But it doesn’t have to. There also doesn’t need to be a lintel above it; a 4m (13 feet) span can easily be carried by any reinforced concrete slab as a cantilever over any length. In my opinion, the wall on the upper floor doesn’t make a difference either.