HomeMy WebLinkAbout1556 White Ash Drive - Stuctural Certification Letter 8.24.23.pdfAugust 23, 2023
Will Harris
w.harris1204@gmail.com
317.778.3488
RE: WALL REMOVAL – STRUCTURAL CERTIFICATION
Thank you for allowing Leibering Structural Engineering to provide structural engineering services at the residence
located at 1556 White Ash Drive in Carmel, Indiana. The homeowner has proposed to remove one portion of
interior first-floor wall between the Kitchen and Dining Room. The homeowner contacted Leibering Structural
Engineering to request a structural analysis and certification of the project.
Scope
The scope of this project included a site visit for as-built measurements and analysis to determine the beam size
and corresponding supports required for the proposed wall removal. The site visit was completed on August 19,
2023.
Proposed Remodel
The wall removal is approximately 13’-3” long. The wall to be removed starts at the south side of the existing
walkway and extends 13’-3” to the north side of the large cased opening in the wall (Photo 1). The walls support
second-floor framing above and ceiling joist above the second floor. The tributary width of second-floor floor
joists and ceiling joists is approximately 11’-6”. The existing floor joists are 2x10s at 16” on center. There is a
steel beam directly below the wall being removed. The steel beam is a W8x21 wide flange beam that bears on a
masonry pilaster at the exterior walls and interior steel pipe columns at roughly 14’ on center spacing (Photo 2).
The homeowner would also like to eliminate the bulkhead above the existing walkway near the stairs.
Design Criteria and Material Assumptions
The new framing design uses an attic live load of 10psf, a floor live load of 40psf, a dead load of 10psf, a live load
deflection limit of L/480, and a total load deflection limit of L/360. The new beam will be recessed into the
existing floor joists. LVLs must meet the minimum specifications of 2650Fb-2.0E and dimensional
lumber must be SPF#2 or better.
New Framing
The new beam required to remove the 13’-3” length of wall is a 4-ply 9.25” LVL. The LVL will be recessed into
the first-floor framing and Simpson LU210, or equivalent, face-hangers will be used to attach the existing joists
to the new beam. A 5-ply stud pack will support the south and north ends of the LVL beam and the north stud
pack will be located 13’-3” from the south end of the beam. (2) plies of the 4-ply LVL beam will stop at the
north 5-ply stud pack and (2) plies will extend 3’ beyond the north 5-ply stud pack and will land on a stud pack
located within the existing west stair wall. This 3’ extension will allow the removal of the bulkhead over the
existing walkway. All of the new stud packs will land over the existing steel beam under the first-floor framing.
The contractor must ensure solid blocking is installed between the bottom of the new stud packs and top of the
existing steel beam. The existing steel beam is sufficient to support the existing first-floor joist design loads and
new point loads imparted by the new beams being installed in the second-floor framing.
Closing
Please note that the inspection was only visual in nature, and there was no material testing or sampling of any
components of the framing systems. Further information such as soil analysis, material samples, and load-testing
would be required to confirm the opinions or calculate the exact structural capacity of building components as
they exist today.
Sincerely,
Justin Leibering PE, SE
Leibering Structural Engineering
PHOTOS
Photo 1 – Wall to be Removed
Photo 2 – Existing Steel Beam Under First-Floor Framing