Live Loads Page 1 of 2

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Chapter 5 - L: Live Loads

2007, T. Bartlett Quimby

Overview
Section 5.1
Uniformly
Distributed and Overview
Concetrated
Loads Last Revised: 09/11/2008

Loads on
handrails, Live loads, L, are a result of the occupancy of a structure. In other
guardrails, grab words, it varies with how the building is to be used. For example, a
bars, ladders storage room is much more likely to larger loads than is a residential
and vehicle bedroom. Bleachers at a stadium are likely to see larger loads than what
is seen on a pitched building roof.
barriers
Arrangement of Live loads include any type of occupancy related loading and ASCE 7-05
Live Loads Chapter 4 specifies the magnitude of the loads to be considered for a
wide variety of cases.
Live Load
Reduction The specified live loads are generally expressed either as uniformly
distributed area loads or point loads applied over small areas.
Roof Live Load
Reduction
The uniformly distributed loads are applied to portions of the structure
that is likely to see a fairly uniform distribution of items over large areas
Crane Loads (areas the size of a single room or larger). They are indefinite and are
designed to encompass all probable occupancy loading scenarios. ASCE
Example 7-05 Table 4-1 lists the specified uniformly distributed area loads.
Problems
Certain occupancies, such as office space, have the potential for a larger
Homework concentrated load (such as a large copy machine) being located in a
Problems space. This space may also be designed for uniformly distributed loads,
References but it is not probable that both the uniformly distributed load and the
large concentrated load will occupy the space at the same time.
Consequently the space must be designed to accommodate, separately,
the uniformly distributed load and the point load, with the point load
Report Errors or
being moved around the space so as to cause maximum effect on the
Make
supporting elements. ASCE 7-05 Table 4-1 lists the specified
Suggestions
concentrated loads that are associated with with occupancies where the
concentrated loads are likely to occur.

Other occupancies or structural elements are to be subjected to point

loads of various types. Such loads include the loads to be applied to
handrails, guardrails, fixed ladders and other such items.

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Live Loads Page 2 of 2

While ASCE 7-05 is pretty comprehensive in specifying common live

loads, there is always the possibility that some load has not be covered
by the specification. ASCE 7-05 section 4.5 allows the designer the
option to determine live loads that are not specifically addressed using a
method that is acceptable to the local building enforcement authority.
This leaves lots of room for personal interpretation by both the designer
and the code authority. When such conditions arise, some rational
method that can be justified to other design professionals should be used
to determine the live load.

It is the nature of live load that it can be everywhere present or it can be

distributed over only a portion of the structure. As it is the requirement
that the structure be able to support any possible loading condition, care
must be taken to ensure that all critical load distributions are considered.
The use of influence lines is extremely useful in determining where and
how live loads are to be arranged so as to cause maximum effect
throughout the structure.

Many live loads are dynamic in nature. Some are sufficiently dynamic
that they result in impact on the structure. Impact results in very short
duration impulse loads. For example, using statics we can easily
determine the forces in a elevator cable or hydraulic system, however
when the elevator starts or stops suddenly, there is a temporary inertia
based spike in the loads. The ASCE 7-05 approach to this is to apply a
general percentage increase of the loading depending on the significance
of the device and its occupancy as well as the dynamic nature of the
device.

The probability of simultaneous full live load being applied to structural

elements that support large area, in many occupancies is very low. ASCE
7-05 recognizes this and allows for a reduction in design live load that is
based on the size of area supported. A distinction is made between
normal floor surfaces and roof surfaces since the nature of the live loads
for floors and roofs are different.

Finally, ASCE 7-05 addresses crane loadings. 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 and
longitudinal impacts.

http://www.bgstructuralengineering.com/BGASCE7/BGASCE7005/index.htm 12/23/2012