Floor Live Load Definition

We measure uniform live loads as pounds per square foot psf.

Floor live load definition.

Is875 part 2 deals with imposed loads on buildings produced by the intended occupancy or use. Live loads are variable as they depend on usage and capacity. A distinction is made between normal floor surfaces and roof surfaces since the nature of the live loads for floors and roofs are different. John bologna a structural engineer with coastal engineering co in orleans mass responds.

The acceptable live load will vary considerably based on the occupancy and expected use of a. The irc defines live loads as those loads produced by the use and occupancy of the building or other structure and do not include construction or environmental loads such as wind load snow load rain load earthquake. Increasing the total weight on the floor to 4 480 pounds however results in a live load of 40 psf which is beyond the floor s load capacity. Floors and minimum uniformly distributed live loads engineering toolbox resources tools and basic information for engineering and design of technical applications.

Live loads refer to the dynamic forces from occupancy and intended use. Live loads can be prescribed to any structural element floors columns beams even roofs and will ultimately be factored into a calculation of gravity loads which we ll explain below. Loads prescribed by codes are empirical and conservative based on experience and accepted practice. Finally asce 7 05 addresses crane loadings.

However design codes can provide equivalent loads for various structures. Also measured in psf these loads include the anticipated weight of people furniture appliances automobiles moveable equipment and the like. Floor load definition is the load that a floor as of a building may be expected to carry safely if uniformly distributed usually calculated in pounds per square foot of area. This is a specialty case that includes capacity of the crane concentrated point loads where the wheels are in contact with crane rails and vertical lateral.

What is the best way to calculate live loads for floor framing in a house. They represent the transient forces that can be moved through the building or act on any particular structural element. The live load of a floor.