I need to pass a bipolar electrical cable through a concrete beam (30cm high, 15 cm wide) (12×6 inches). The hole would need to be about 1cm (3/8").
Is it safe to drill through it? There is no wall below it and one of its columns is "upside down" (see sketch below).
Edit: I did some further research and found some regulations regarding holes and openings on reinforced concrete beams. There is no need of additional reinforcement if the following is observed:
- hole in the traction zone of the beam.
- diameter limited to 12cm or 1/3 of beam height
- distance from supports equal to 2 beam heights
So in my case I would have to have the hole around 60 cm from the column in the bottom portion of the beam, and the diameter is below the threshold (around 1-2 cm). Is that right??
Best Answer
As you (the OP) have discovered, small holes in concrete are perfectly acceptable.
No disrespect to other posters, but likening concrete to glass is inaccurate. Also, hitting chunks of igneous rock is never a problem in my experience. (Hitting rebar is a problem, though. You'll want to be careful when drilling... If you suddenly stop making progress and you've already cleared the dust, then pull back and either try to subtly change the angle or drill a different hole.)