Cantilever
A cantilever is a beam supported only at one end, with load carried over the overhang. This is in contrast to a simply-supported beam, which is supported at both ends.
Cantilevers provide a clear space underneath the beam without any supporting columns or bracing.
Cantilevers became a popular structural form with the introduction of steel and reinforced concrete. They are used extensively in building construction, notably in:
- Cantilever bridges.
- Overhanging elements and projections.
- Balconies, such as at Frank Lloyd Wright’s ‘Falling water’.
- Machinery and plant such as cranes.
- Overhanging roofs such as stadium roofs, and shelters.
- Shelving.
- Furniture.
Cantilever construction can be used in bridge building for crossing large spans. A simple cantilever span is constructed from two cantilever arms extending from opposite sides, and meeting in the middle. A common variation of this is the suspended span where the cantilever arms support a central truss bridge resting on the ends of the cantilever arms. A classic example of the cantilever bridge is the Forth Railway Bridge in Scotland which has three cantilevers with two connecting suspended spans.
Cantilever cranes (otherwise known as 'hammerhead crane') are hoisting cranes with a swing or fixed cantilever along which a hoisting trolley moves. They are often used in shipyards and during the construction of tall buildings.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Abutment.
- Adaptive structures.
- Arches.
- Barrel vault.
- Canopy.
- Concrete v steel.
- Conoid shell.
- Engineer.
- Folded plate construction.
- Flying buttress.
- Hyperbolic paraboloid.
- Moment.
- Pendentive dome.
- Point of contraflexure.
- Resonant column method.
- Shell roof.
- Structural engineer.
- Structural systems for offices.
- Substructure.
- Superstructure.
- Swing bridge.
- Types of beam.
Featured articles and news
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.
IHBC 2025 Gus Astley Student Award winners
Work on the role of hewing in UK historic conservation a win for Jack Parker of Oxford Brookes University.
Future Homes Building Standards and plug-in solar
Parts F and L amendments, the availability of solar panels and industry responses.
How later living housing can help solve the housing crisis
Unlocking homes, unlocking lives.
Preparing safety case reports for HRBs under the BSA
A new practical guide to preparing structural inputs for safety cases and safety case reports published by IStructE.
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.
The changed R&D tax landscape for Architects
Specialist gives a recap on tax changes for Research and Development, via the ACA newsletter.
Structured product data as a competitive advantage
NBS explain why accessible product data that works across digital systems is key.
Welsh retrofit workforce assessment
Welsh Government report confirms Wales faces major electrical skills shortage, warns ECA.
A now architectural practice looks back at its concept project for a sustainable oceanic settlement 25 years on.
Copyright and Artificial Intelligence
Government report and back track on copyright opt out for AI training but no clear preferred alternative as yet.
Embedding AI tools into architectural education
Beyond the render: LMU share how student led research is shaping the future of visualisation workflows.
Why document control still fails UK construction projects
A Chartered Quantity Surveyor explains what needs to change and how.
Inspiration for a new 2026 wave of Irish construction professionals.
New planning reforms and Warm Homes Bill
Take centre stage at UK Construction Week London.