Options for removing I Beam posts

[KPD1965]

I currently have a 36' 4"x8" I-Beam supporting a portion of my house. (The home is a single story).
The beam is supported at one end by the concrete foundation and the other end by a 4" pole. 12 feet
in from each end the beam are two additional 4" posts. Ideally I wouuld like to remove these
two posts.

I recently saw a new home under construction where the I beam had engineered beams (micro-lams) placed in
the webbing of the I beam (two on each side of the beam) and the entire assembly bolted together through
the I beam.

My question: Is this a viable method for increasing the strength of the I beam to reduce deflection? Or
are there other solutions I may be overlooking. On the extreme side would adding a second 4"x8" 36' beam
adequately cut the load in half?

I plan to have this looked at by an Architect or P.E. but wanted to get other opinions to solving this problem.

[lefty]

KPD1965,

Welcome to DoItYourself.com and the Architecture & CODES forum.

I'm sure that there is a way to remove those posts AND have that end of the house properly supported.

You are on the right track -- call in an structural engineer who can SEE the project and tell you how to do it. He (or she) will know all of the details that you left out -- loads (as in snow, wind, etc.) that have to be met, what seismic zone you are in, if the existing footings are going to support the new beam that you are thinking about without the center posts being in place, etc., etc., etc.

My guess -- each of the posts that you want to remove are going to worth about $25K EACH!!!

[Doug Aleshire]

KPD1965,

Just a quick question on the construction site you saw with the I beams and microlams -

Are you sure it was microlams, like 1 3/4" thick? If so, this may had been for the use of applying joist hangers. They might have a dropped floor going in within this home and this is one method of doing it. The other is they may be trying to keep the main floor lower so it isn't so far off grade. I would asssume that the basement is one that is higher than 8', possibly 9' or greater?

Let us know what you see.