post+and+lintel



Post and lintel (or Post and beam) is a simple architrave where a horizontal member (the lintel—or header) is supported by two vertical posts at either end. This form is commonly used to support the weight of the structure located above the openings in a bearing wall created by windows and doors. Lintel A lintel (or header) is a horizontal beam used in the construction of buildings , and is a major architectural contribution of ancient Greece. It usually supports the masonry above a window  or door  opening. Lintels may be made of wood , stone  , steel  or reinforced  or pre tensioned concrete. For example, at Stonehenge, stone lintels top off some of the megaliths. In typical homes today, lintels are commonly used in fireplaces where one will span the opening of the firebox. In this use they are most often steel, either straight for a square opening or arched for a more decorative effect. The post The job of the post is to support the lintel and its loads without crushing or buckling. Masonry post, including those of brick, may be highly efficient, since the loads compress the joints and add to their cohesiveness.
 * Post and lintel **

Disadvantages
The biggest disadvantage to a post and lintel construction is the limited weight that can be held up, and the small distances required between the posts. <span class="wiki_link_ext">Roman developments of the <span class="wiki_link_ext">arch  allowed for much larger structures to be constructed. There are two main force vectors acting upon the post and lintel system: weight carrying <span class="wiki_link_ext">compression at the joint between lintel and post, and <span class="wiki_link_ext">tension  induced by deformation of self-weight and the load above between the posts. The two posts are under compression from the weight of the lintel (or beam) above. The lintel will deform concave up because the underside is under tension and the topside is under compression.