Importance of Plinth beam

Visiting Edachira site

                                     In that day we are visiting Edachira site,It's near to Kakkanad,Ernakulam the house is two storey ground floor and first floor.On the day plinth beam reinforcement work is going,10mm and 8mm rods are used for the reinforcement.We are cross checked the size of reinforcement and outer portion.

Plinth beam :

                    Plinth beam is a beam in a framed structure provided at or above sometimes below ground level that takes the load of the wall built on top of it. Most other beams are subjected to loads not only from walls but also the load from the slab, such as dead loads self weight of slab, floor finish and live load.

Why plinth beams are provided?
                     Plinth beam is provided to prevent the extension or propagation of cracks from the foundation into the wall above when the foundation suffers from settlement.

Applications of Plinth Beam

• It is mandatory to provide plinth beam in areas that prone to earthquake.
• Construction of plinth beam above the natural ground is another application of this type of beam.

Advantage of Plinth beam :

           Plinth be a distdistributees load of the wall over the foundation evenly. It is mandatory to provide plinth beam in areas that prone to earthquake.