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Ring Balok
STRUCTURE & PHYSICSintermediate
Definition
A reinforced concrete ring beam cast at the top of masonry walls, at eave or floor-to-floor level, to tie the wall system together and distribute roof or floor loads. Ring balok prevents the walls from spreading or cracking under lateral loads — particularly important in earthquake-prone Indonesia — and provides a continuous bearing for the roof structure above. Together with sloof and kolom praktis, it forms the standard reinforced masonry structural system used in most Indonesian housing.
Example
Indonesian building practice requires a ring balok at every floor level and at the top of all load-bearing masonry walls, ensuring that even a simple brick house has a reinforced concrete frame that can absorb seismic movement without collapsing.