Aload-bearing wall orbearing wall is awall that is an activestructural element of abuilding, which holds the weight of the elements above it, by conducting its weight to afoundation structure below it.
Load-bearing walls are one of the earliest forms of construction. The development of theflying buttress inGothic architecture allowed structures to maintain an open interior space, transferring more weight to the buttresses instead of to central bearing walls. In housing, load-bearing walls are most common in the light construction method known as "platform framing". In the birth of theskyscraper era, the concurrent rise ofsteel as a more suitableframing system first designed byWilliam Le Baron Jenney, and the limitations of load-bearing construction in large buildings, led to a decline in the use of load-bearing walls in large-scale commercial structures.
Aload-bearing wall orbearing wall is awall that is an activestructural element of abuilding — that is, it bears the weight of the elements above said wall, resting upon it by conducting its weight to afoundation structure.[1] The materials most often used to construct load-bearing walls in large buildings areconcrete,block, orbrick. By contrast, acurtain wall provides no significant structural support beyond what is necessary to bear its own materials or conduct such loads to a bearing wall.[2]
Load-bearing walls are one of the earliest forms of construction.[3] The development of theflying buttress inGothic architecture allowed structures to maintain an open interior space, transferring more weight to the buttresses instead of to central bearing walls. TheNotre Dame Cathedral is an example of a load-bearing wall structure with flying buttresses.[4]
Depending on the type of building and the number of floors, load-bearing walls are gauged to the appropriate thickness to carry the weight above them. Without doing so, it is possible that an outer wall could become unstable if theload exceeds the strength of the material used, potentially leading to the collapse of the structure. The primary function of this wall is to enclose or divide space of the building to make it more functional and useful. It provides privacy, affords security, and gives protection against heat, cold, sun or rain.[5]
In housing, load-bearing walls are most common in the light construction method known as "platform framing", and each load-bearing wall sits on awall sill plate which is mated to the lowestbase plate. The sills are bolted to themasonry or concretefoundation.[6]
Thetop plate orceiling plate is the top of the wall, which sits just below the platform of the next floor (at the ceiling). Thebase plate orfloor plate is the bottom attachment point for thewall studs. Using a top plate and a bottom plate, a wall can be constructed while it lies on its side, allowing for end-nailing of thestuds between two plates, and then the finished wall can be tipped up vertically into place atop the wall sill; this not only improves accuracy and shortens construction time, but also produces a stronger wall.
Due to the immense weight ofskyscrapers, the base and walls of the lower floors must be extremely strong.Pilings are used to anchor the building to thebedrock underground. For example, theBurj Khalifa, the world's tallest building as well as the world's tallest structure, uses specially treated and mixedreinforced concrete. Over 45,000 cubic metres (59,000 cu yd) of concrete, weighing more than 110,000 t (120,000 short tons) were used to construct the concrete and steel foundation, which features 192 piles, with each pile being 1.5 m diameter × 43 m long (4.9 ft × 141 ft) and buried more than 50 m (160 ft) deep.[7]