TYPES OF

LOADS
PREPARED BY:

ENGR. PRECIOUS PRINCESS T. SABA

Instructor

1ST SEMESTER/AY 2020-2021

 S T R U C T U R AL
L O AD / L O AD
 Structural loads or simply “loads”
are external forces that act on
structural components. Internal
forces are called stresses.
 Loads cause stresses, deformations
and displacement in structure.
Assessment of their effects is carried
out by the methods of structural
analysis.
 Once the structural form has been
determined, the actual design
begins with those elements that are
subjected to the primary loads the
structure is intended to carry, and
proceeds in sequence to the various
supporting members until the
foundation is reached.
 Since a structure is generally subjected to several types of loads, a brief discussion of these
loadings will now be presented to illustrate how one must consider their effects in
practice.
In structural analysis, three basic kinds of loads are generally used:
• Point load that is also called as concentrated load.
• Distributed load
• Coupled load
1) Point load is that load which acts over a small distance. Because of concentration
over small distance this load can may be considered as acting on a point. Point load is
denoted by P and symbol of point load is arrow heading downward (↓).

2) Distributed load is that acts over a considerable length or you can say “over a length
which is measurable. Distributed load is measured as per unit length.

EXAMPLE
If a 10k/ft load is acting on a beam having length 10′. Then it can be read as “ten kips of
load is acting per foot”. If it is 10′ then total point load acting is 100Kips over the length.
 TYPES OF DISTRIBUTED LOAD
A) Uniformly distributed load is that whose magnitude remains uniform throughout the length.
Uniformly distributed load is usually represented by W and is pronounced as intensity of
UDL over the beam, slab etc.

For Example: If 10k/ft load is acting on a beam whose length is 15ft. Then 10k/ft is acting
throughout the length of 15ft.

UNIFORM DISTRIBUTED LOAD TO POINT LOAD

Conversion of uniform distributed load to point load is very simple. By simply multiplying the
intensity of UDL with its loading length. The answer will be the point load which can also be
pronounced as Equivalent concentrated load (E.C.L). Concentric because converted load will
acts at the center of span length.
Mathematically, it can be write as;
Equivalent Concentrated load = UDL intensity(W) x Loading length
B) Uniformly Varying Load (Non – Uniformly Distributed Load)
It is that load whose magnitude varies along the loading length with a constant rate.
Uniformly varying load is further divided into two types:
 TRIANGULAR LOAD
Triangular load is that whose magnitude is zero at one end of span and increases
constantly till the 2nd end of the span. As shown in the diagram;

 TRAPEZOIDAL LOAD
Trapezoidal load is that which is acting on the span length in the form of trapezoid.
Trapezoid is generally form with the combination of uniformly distributed load
(UDL) and triangular load.
3) COUPLED LOAD
 Coupled load is that in which two equal and opposite forces acts on
the same span. The lines of action of both the forces are parallel to
each other but opposite in directions.
 CATEGORIES OF LOADS ACCORDING TO THE DIRECTION OF ACTION
A) Gravity loads - the vertical forces that act on a structure.
Types of Gravity Loads
1) Dead loads consist of the self - weights of the various structural members and the weights
of any objects that are permanently attached to the structure. Hence, for a building, the dead
loads include the weights of the columns, beams, and girders, the floor slab, roofing, walls, win
dows, plumbing, & electrical fixtures, and other miscellaneous attachments. We call these dead
loads because they never change.
 Unit: N , lb, N/m, lb/ft, etc.

how to compute dead loads?

 In some cases, a structural dead load can be estimated satisfactorily from simple formulas
based on the unit weight and sizes of the structure.
 Ordinarily, though, once the materials and sizes of the various components of the structure
are determined, their weights can be found from tables that list their densities.
The densities of typical materials and weights of typical building components used in
construction are listed in the table below.
 Sometimes, it is easier to compute using unit analysis.
Tables used for computing
dead loads.
 Where:
W DL = ϒ V WDL = dead load
W DL = ϒ A (dead load is distributed load)
ϒ = unit weight of the material
V = volume
W DL = P w (dead load is distributed load) A = area of cross section
(sometimes, it can be solved based on the unit P = min. design load (Pressure)
of the given) w= width of member

SAMPLE PROBLEM:
The floor beam in figure is used to support the 6-ft width of a lightweight
plain concrete slab having a thickness of 4 in. The slab serves as a
portion of the ceiling for the floor below, and therefore its bottom is
coated with plaster. Furthermore, an 8-ft-high, 12-in.-thick lightweight
solid concrete block wall is directly over the top flange of the beam.
Determine the loading on the beam measured per foot of length of the
beam.
REQUIRED:
Load acting on the beam per unit length

GIVEN:
For Slab which also serves as ceiling (lightweight plain concrete slab, one side plastered)
Width = 6ft
Thickness = 4in
Wall (lightweight solid concrete block)
Height = 8ft
Thickness = 12in = 1ft
SOLUTION:
Referring to the given table:
Load acting on the beam:
Dead load of the slab + Dead load of the wall
Dead load of slab:
 using data for lightweight plain concrete floor fill:
P = (8 lb/ft2 )/in
looking at the unit of P, it is given in (lb/ft2)/in, thus to get the dead load in lb/ft:
WDL = (8 lb/ft2 )/in x 4in x 6ft = 192 lb/ft
 using data for plaster on concrete ceiling:
P = 5 lb/ft2
using the formula: W D L = P w
WDL = 5 lb/ft2 x 6ft = 30 lb/ft

W DL (SLAB) = 1 9 2 + 3 0 = 222lb/ft
W DL (SLAB) = 2 2 2 l b / f t
Dead load of wall:
using data for wall (masonry lightweight concrete):
ϒ = 105lb/ft2
using the formula: W D L = ϒ A
WDL = 105 lb/ft3 x 1 ft x 8 ft
WDL = 840 lb/ft
Total load acting on the beam = 222 + 840 = 1062 lb/ft or 1.062 k/ft
*** unit k stands for kips or kilopounds
 2) LIVE LOADS
DEAD LOAD AND LIVE LOADS
ACTING ON A BUILDING  L i v e l o a d s include any temporary or
transient forces. that act on a building or
structural element. Typically, they include
people, furniture, vehicles, and almost ev
erything else that can be moved
throughout a building.
 The minimum live loads specified in codes
are determined from studying the history
of their effects on existing structures.
 The floors of buildings are assumed to be
subjected to uniform live loads, which
depend on the purpose for which the
building is designed. These loadings are g
enerally tabulated in local, state, or
national codes.
 3)snow load
 downward force on a building's roof by the weight of accumulated snow and ice.
 The roof or the entire structure can fail if the snow load exceeds the weight the
building was designed to shoulder. Or if the building was poorly designed or
constructed.

B) Lateral Loads - Unlike gravity loads, these loads act in a horizontal direction and even
cause an uplift effect.
Types of Lateral loads
1) Wind Loads
 When structures block the flow of wind, the wind’s kinetic energy is converted in
to potential energy of pressure, which causes a wind loading. The effect of wind
on a structure depends upon the density and velocity of the air, the angle of
incidence of the wind, the shape and stiffness of the structure, and the roughnes
s of its surface. For design purposes, wind loadings can be treated using either a
static or a dynamic approach.
2) Seismic load
 is the inertia force on the structure and its magnitude and distribution on the
structure continually change in time.
 These loadings result from the structure’s distortion caused by the ground’s moti
on and the lateral resistance of the structure.
NOTE:
This discussion about the different types of loads is
just an overview and an introduction since there are
other subjects (like Reinforced Concrete Design and
Earthquake Engineering) that will explain them further.
here are three types of load. These are;