HOW TO CLASSIFY WALLS IN A

BUILDING? [BASED ON FUNCTION]

Walls are built to partition living area into different parts. They impart privacy and protection against
temperature, rain and theft. Depending upon their functions, Walls may be classified into the
following two primary classes

1. Load bearing walls

2. Partition walls.

1. LOAD BEARING WALLS

If beams and columns are not used, load from roof and floors are transferred to foundation by walls.
Such walls are called load bearing walls. They are to be designed to transfer the load safely. The
critical portion of the walls are near the openings of doors and windows and the positions where
concrete beams rest.
Minimum wall thickness used is 200 mm. It is also recommended that the slenderness ratio of wall
defined as ratio of effective length or effective height to thickness should not be more than 27. The
effective height and effective length of a wall may be taken as shown in tables-1 and 2 respectively.

Table-1 [Effective height of walls in terms of actual height H]

End Condition Effective Height

Lateral as well as rotational restraint 0.75 H

Lateral as well as rotational restraint at one
0.85 H
end and only lateral restraint at other
Lateral restraint but no rotational restraint at
1.0 H
both ends
Lateral and rotational restraint at one end and
no restraint at other ends (compound walls, 1.5 H
parapet walls etc.).

Table-2 [Effective length of walls of length L]

End Condition Effective Length

Continuous and supported by cross walls 0.8 L
Continuous at one end and supported by cross
0.9 L
walls at the other end
Wall supported by cross walls at each end 1.0 L
 Free at one end and continuous at other end 1.5 L
Free at one end and supported by cross wall at
2.0 L
other end

2. PARTITION WALLS
In framed structures partition walls are built to divide floor area for different utilities. They rest on
floors. They do not carry loads from floor and roof. They have to carry only self-weight. Hence
normally partition walls are thin. Table 8.4 shows the differences between load bearing walls and
partition walls. Depending upon the requirement these walls may be brick partition, clay block
partition, glass partition, wood partition, and aluminium and glass partition.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LOAD BEARING AND

PARTITION WALLS
Differences between a load bearing wall and a partition wall is given in the following table

LOAD BEARING WALLS PARTITION WALLS

They carry loads from roof, floor, self-
weight etc.
They are thick and hence occupy more
floor area.
As the material required is more the
construction cost is more.
Stones or bricks are used for the
construction
They carry self-weight only.
These walls are thin and hence occupy less
floor area.
As the material required is less,
construction cost is less.
Stones are generally not used for the
construction