Loads on a Building
By Brian Ki, P.E.
Structural engineers design buildings to withstand loads of all types. The building’s frame must be designed to withstand a combination of all those loads with some being more present than others, such as snow or seismic, depending on the geographic region of the building. The most common loads we address within New Hampshire and Massachusetts are described below.
Dead Loads: Vertical forces incurred due to the “dead” weight of the building’s materials
Examples: Asphalt shingles, framing, granite countertops
Live Loads: Vertical forces generated through mobile people and/or objects
Examples: People, furniture, vehicles
Snow Loads: Vertical forces due to snow fall
Wind Loads: Lateral forces exerting positive and negative pressures on a building due to air flow and movement.
Seismic Loads: Lateral loads experienced through vibrations often caused by an earthquake.
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| This Category | Condominiums, Engineered Consultations, Home Repairs, Residential Engineering, Structural Design, Structural Engineering |
| This Author | Brian Ki, P.E. |