Which element is typically not supported directly by footings?

Lintels are typically not supported directly by footings because they are structural elements that span over openings, such as doors or windows, in walls. Their primary function is to provide support to the load above while transferring that load to the walls on either side of the opening. In contrast, footings are designed to support vertical loads from walls, columns, and slabs directly.

While walls and columns bear their weight down to the foundation system, and slabs can rest directly on footings, lintels rely on the surrounding wall structure for their support. This is why it is understood that lintels bridge spaces rather than being directly supported in the same manner as the other options listed.