Bulb tee

nounStandard termBuilding

A structural T-shaped beam with a thickened, rounded bottom edge.

A specialized structural member, usually made of steel or precast concrete, shaped like a capital letter T but with a swollen, bulbous bottom flange. This thickened base provides extra tensile strength and a wider resting ledge for supporting roof decks, floor slabs, or ceiling panels.

Heard on the job

The engineer specified precast concrete bulb tees to span the warehouse roof.