LOADS ON

STRUCTURE

STRUCTURAL LOADS:
A

load may be defined as a force

tending to effect and produce
deformations, stresses or
displacements in the structure.
The

load to be carried by the floor of a building varies so

much, depending on the occupant of the floor , the distribution
of furniture, the weight of machines, or the storage of goods,
that codes substitute for it an equivalent load.
Code loads are conventional loads

Types of loads.

Dead and live loads.

Static and dynamic loads.
Blast loads.
Seismic loads
Wind loads

TYPES OF LOADS
Loads are classified as static and dynamic . Static loads are independent from
time but dynamic loads are function of time.
Dead and live
loads are types of
static loads.
Dead loads are
those have
unchangeable
locations in
structure and their
values are certain
and constant .
Live loads are those
movable and their
values are uncertain.

Dead loads are calculated easily using structure dimensions and material density .
Live loads are movable and their values are uncertain , so they can not be
calculated directly and local or international specifications shall be consulted.
International Building Code IBC 2009 published live load values dependent on
types of building occupancy.

80 psf
100 psf
50 psf
The dead loads is easily computed . Its weight is evaluated by
consulting tables of unit weights of structural materials. One thus
finds that the average weight of concrete varies between 100 and
150 pcf , the weight of steel is 490 pcf, and the weight of aluminum
one-third that of steel, while wood weighs on average, 30 pcf, and
brick 120 pcf.

DYNAMIC LOADS:

o
o
o
o

Loads that change value or location rapidly, or are

applied suddenly, are called dynamic loads.
Impact loads
Moving loads (e.g. traffic)
Gusts of wind
Loads due to cycling machinery

Dynamic loads
The other group of loads is the dynamic loads , and the following are types of such
loads:

Wind load

Impact load

Blast load

Seismic load

Flood load

BLAST LOADS
Blast loads are an increase in atmosphere pressure which make buildings applied to
uniform pressure . Blast pressures increases with increasing TNT weight and vice versa
if the explosion distance is increased.
Example1
If a building is designed
to
carry
0.5
psi
overpressure
safely,
evaluate the required
stand-off distance for
small cars.
Example2
Can
the
same
building withstand
an explosion of a
truck
carrying
10000 pounds of
TNT at a distance
1500 foots ?

SEISMIC LOADS
Seismic loads on buildings are caused by movement in foundations . The acceleration of this
movement is very rapid and its value
is highly increased with height.

Different types of failure are found in the same earthquake , because of different modes
of movement.

Snow Loads:
Weight of snow depends on the climate
of the region where buildings is to be
erected : according to codes, it is
equivalent to 60 psf in northern
Canada and to 40 psf in New York
City.

Environmental loads
These are loads that act as a result of weather, topography and other
natural phenomena.
Wind

loads
Snow, rain and ice loads
Seismic loads
Temperature changes leading to thermal expansion cause thermal
loads
Ponding loads
Frost heaving
Lateral pressure of soil, groundwater or bulk materials
Loads from fluids or floods
Permafrost melting
Dust loads

Other Loads:
Engineers must also be aware of other actions that may affect a
structure, such as:
Foundation

settlement or displacement

Fire
Corrosion
Explosion
Creep

or shrinkage
Impact from vehicles or machinery vibration
Construction loads

THANK YOU