I'm in high school and looking to get into architecture. I've made a few building designs, and for some, the elevator shaft would need to be load bearing; is this possible? Sorry if this is a childish question. Thanks
Non Sequitur
May 2, 16 2:05 pm
... it depends. In many cases, such as high-rise office buildings, the elevator shaft walls are designed as part of the building's shear walls. You may certainly use the enclosure of your elevator shafts (shaft is really a term best used for the actual hole, not the walls) to support structure above as long as you show them thick enough.
citizen
May 2, 16 2:31 pm
That's a great question! And the answer is yes, as Non Sequitur notes.
To the terminology question: shaft, shaft enclosure, and hoist way are all involved here, often confusingly so.
shellarchitect
May 2, 16 3:24 pm
fun fact, the connections should be detailed so that the beams may fail without harming the shear walls ( fire cut)
cadomestique
May 2, 16 8:07 pm
Yes, shaft walls can be load bearing.
Generally speaking (there always will be exceptions) shorter wood buildings shaft walls are load bearing while taller concrete o steel buildings are not because structural columns do that work, however if needed they can be engineered to take some load.
shellarchitect
May 2, 16 10:09 pm
in tall structures elevator and stair shafts are usually used to control shear
I'm in high school and looking to get into architecture. I've made a few building designs, and for some, the elevator shaft would need to be load bearing; is this possible? Sorry if this is a childish question. Thanks
... it depends. In many cases, such as high-rise office buildings, the elevator shaft walls are designed as part of the building's shear walls. You may certainly use the enclosure of your elevator shafts (shaft is really a term best used for the actual hole, not the walls) to support structure above as long as you show them thick enough.
That's a great question! And the answer is yes, as Non Sequitur notes.
To the terminology question: shaft, shaft enclosure, and hoist way are all involved here, often confusingly so.
fun fact, the connections should be detailed so that the beams may fail without harming the shear walls ( fire cut)
Yes, shaft walls can be load bearing.
Generally speaking (there always will be exceptions) shorter wood buildings shaft walls are load bearing while taller concrete o steel buildings are not because structural columns do that work, however if needed they can be engineered to take some load.
in tall structures elevator and stair shafts are usually used to control shear
Yes, also as a shear wall.