Crosswall Construction ~ this is a form of construction where load bearing walls are placed at right angles to the lateral axis of the building, the front and rear walls being essentially non-load bearing cladding. Crosswall construction is suitable for buildings up to 5 storeys high where the floors are similar and where internal separating or party walls are required such as in blocks of flats or maisonettes. The intermediate floors span longitudinally between the crosswalls providing the necessary lateral restraint and if both walls and floors are of cast insitu reinforced concrete the series of boxes so formed is sometimes called box frame construction. Great care must be taken in both design and construction to ensure that the junctions between the non-load bearing claddings and the crosswalls are weathertight. If a pitched roof is to be employed with the ridge parallel to the lateral axis an edge beam will be required to provide a seating for the trussed or common rafters and to transmit the roof loads to the crosswalls.

Typical Crosswall Arrangement Details ~

Typical Details ~

Advantages of Crosswall Construction:-

1. Load bearing and non-load bearing components can be standardised and in same cases prefabricated giving faster construction times.

2. Fenestration between crosswalls unrestricted structurally.

3. Crosswalls although load bearing need not be weather resistant as is the case with external walls.

Disadvantages of Crosswall Construction:-

1. Limitations of possible plans.

2. Need for adequate lateral ties between crosswalls.

3. Need to weather adequately projecting...