Professional Documents
Culture Documents
01 Basic Structural Concepts
01 Basic Structural Concepts
1.
Force
Force is an influence/action on object which causes/attempts to cause movement
Is a vector
tu
d
Le
ng
th
ag
ni
Arrow = direction
jo
Point of action
2.
Facts:
1kN = 100kg
3.
Load
1.
Types of loads
Load is a force on a part of a structure
1.1
Dead load
Material
Reinforced concrete
Load
Unit weight: 24 kN/m3
Therefore a 100 mm thick concrete wall weighs 2.4 kN/m2
Blockwork/Brickwork Unit weight: 22 kN/m3
Therefore a 100 mm thick blockwork wall weighs 2.2 kN/m2
Steel
Unit weight: 78.5 kN/m3
Steel beams weigh between 0.2 and 2.0 kN/m
Aluminium
Unit weight: 27.7 kN/m3 (2771 kg/m3)
Timber
Unit weight: Softwood: 5.9 kN/m3, Hardwood: 12.5 kN/m3
Therefore a 50mm x 200mm (two by eight') softwood joist weighs 0.06 kN/m
Glass
Unit weight: 25 kN/m3
Therefore the weight of glass is 0.025 kN per millimetre thick.
Water
Unit weight: 10 kN/m3
1.2
Live load
Values of live load depend on the use of the building (or part of the building) concerned. A full listing
appears in British Standard. BS 6399 Part 1. Some values are given below:
Space
Domestic
Offices
Cafes/restaurants
Classrooms
Assembly: fixed seating
Corridors/stairs in hotels, etc.
Exhibitions
Gyms
Bars, concert halls, etc.
Stages
Shops
Parking (cars)
Plant rooms
Live (kN/m2)
1.5
2.5
2 .0
3.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
5.0
5.0
7.5
4.0
2.5
75
6
1.3
Wind load
Not critical for low rise buildings
1.4
Others
Lateral load from soil pressure and water pressure
2.
Nature of load
Loads could be one of three types:
Point load
Elevation of column
supported on beam
Symbolic representation
of point load
Span =5m
35kN
Span =5m
7x5=35kN
2.5m
5m
Retained earth
pushes horizontally
behind the wall
0.5x6x12=36kN
12kN/m
2.0m
6.0m
10
3.
Load Path
A
Load path
11