General loads to be

considered in the design

of the structure
• The structure should be designed in a way that it should be
enough strong to bear any type of load at any time that they
are likely to face during their lifecycle.
• So, the estimation of total load act on the structure or the
total load that is likely to be acted on the structure in future
is accurately calculated and same should be designed.

• Indian standard code IS: 875–1987 and American Standard

Code ASCE 7: Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and
Other Structures deals with various design loads for
structures.
• The different types of loads acting on a structure are broadly
classified into following two types
1. Vertical loads and
2. Horizontal loads
Structural Analysis and Design to satisfy Building
Codes and Standards;

Gravity loading: Dead and Live load calculation based

on IS 875- 1987(Part 1&2)
Vertical Loads: Vertical loads are further classified
into following types:
Dead Loads:
• These loads are permanent loads which are carried
to the structure throughout their lifespan.
• Dead loads are also called as stationary loads.
• These loads occur mainly due to the self-weight of
the structural members, fittings, fixed partitions,
fixed equipment, etc
• For suppose, to build a column we need steel bars,
concrete, shuttering, etc.
• Well, concrete and bars are fixed members of the
structure which are available throughout their lifespan
whereas shuttering is a temporary member, which is
used to keep concrete in the desired position. 

• Shuttering is taken off from the structure after curing. 

From above, concrete and steel bars self-weights are
considered as a dead load and load of a shuttering is
not.
Structural Analysis and Design to Satisfy Building Codes and Standards :

IS:456:2000 IS:875:1987(Part-1) IS:875:1987(Part-2)

 Design Dead Loads as per IS:875:1987(Part-1 )
Dead Load

Self Load: It is the load of structural member due to its own weight.

Superimposed Dead Load: It is the load supported by a structural

member. Example: Flooring
Calculation or Determination of dead loads on  a
structure:
• Dead loads are calculated by estimating the quantity of
each material and then multiplying it with the unit weight
of that specific material.
• The unit weights of different materials are tabulated below:

Material Unit Weight of Material

Plain Cement Concrete [PCC] 24 kN/m3
Reinforced Cement Concrete [RCC] 25kN/m3
Steel 78.5KN/m3
Brick Masonry, cement plaster 20 kN/m3
Stone Masonry 24 kN/m3
Wood 8KN/m3
Floor Finish 0.6-1.2KN/m3
• For suppose the column is made of Reinforced
cement concrete and having a length, breadth and
depth as shown in figure

then the dead load of the column is

The total volume of concrete = 3 x 0.4 x 0.4 = 0.48m3
The dead load of the column = 0.48m3 x 25KN/m3 =
12KN
Live Loads:
• As the name itself resembling that these type of
loads are real-time loads.
• Live loads are also called as imposed or sudden
loads. Live loads changes with respect to time.
• This type of loading may come and go.
• For example, At one moment the room may be
empty hence the live load is zero. If the same room
is packed with the people, then the live load
intensity will vary considerably. The live load
includes the weight of furniture, people occupying
the floor, etc.
Design Live Loads as per IS:875:1987(Part-1)
Live Load: “Live loads consist chiefly of occupancy loads in
buildings”
Live Loads Reduction as per IS:875:1987(Part-1)
Determination of live loads on  a structure:
Live loads are considered and added to the total load acting
on a member at the time of designing of the building. Some of
the common live load values used in the design of buildings
are tabulated below:
Types of floors Minimum Live load KN/m2
Floors in houses, hospital wards, 2.0
dormitories
Office floors other than entrance 2.5 & 4.0 
halls 2.5 when separate storage facility
provided, otherwise 4.0

Shops, educational buildings, 4.0

assembly buildings, restaurants
Banking halls, office entrance halls 3.0
office floors for storage, assembly 5.0
floor space without seating, public
Ware
roomshouses, workshops,
in hotels, factories
dance halls, Light wt loads- 5.0
waiting halls Medium - 7.5
Heavy - 10.0
Garages 4.0-7.5
Stairs, landings, balconies and 3.0
corridors for floors but not
liable to overcrowding
Stairs, landings, balconies and 5.0
corridors for floors liable to
overcrowding
Flat slabs, sloped roofs  Access provided - 1.5
Access not provided - 0.75

As the dead load is individually calculated to each and every

member of the building whereas for live load it is calculated
on the basis of expected sudden loads on the building in
future.
Suppose the structure is made for cinema halls there might be
an overcrowd during releases, to meet this sudden load and
to keep structure safe, the live load of 5.0KN/m2 is adopted
as mentioned in above table.

Snow loads:
• This type of loads is considered only on the structure
which receives snowfall during monsoon.
• Snow loads are calculated by the projections made by
snow at different parts of the structure, The amount of
snow load depends on the height of building, size & shape
of the roof, the location of building whether it’s on the
slope or not, the frequency of snow etc.
• The more details about snow loads are clearly mentioned
IS 875 (part 4) – 1987.
Calculation or Determination of Snow loads on  a structure:
The minimum snow load on any area above ground or roof
area which is subjected to snow accumulation is obtained by
the expression
S= μS0
Where,
S  = Design snow load
μ  = Shape coefficient
S0 = Ground snow load

Horizontal Loads:
• Wind loads:
• This types of loads are considered in design if the height of
the building is more than 15m.
• Wind loads are occurred due to the horizontal load caused
by the wind.
• As an increase in using lighter materials in the
construction, wind load for a building should be
considered.
• The structure should be strong enough with the
heavy dead weights and anchored to the ground to
resist this wind load.
• If not, the building may blow away. Wind load acts
horizontally towards roofs, walls
Calculation or Determination of wind loads on  a structure:
Wind loads are considered in design if the height of the
building is more than 15m. The intensity of wind load
depends upon the velocity of wind, size, and height of the
building.

To calculate the design wind pressure or a total load of wind

on a building the following expression is used
 
Pz = 0.6 Vz2

Where, ‘Pz’ is in N/m2 at height Z and Vz is in m/sec.

Up to the height of 30m, the wind pressure is considered to

act uniformly. Above 30m the wind pressure may increases.
In order to calculate the Vz the following expression is used
Vz = k1k2k3Vb
Where
k1   = Risk coefficient
k2   = Coefficient based on terrain, height and structure size|
k3   = Topography factor

Earthquake loads:
• These type of loads causes movement of the 
foundation of structures.
• Earthquake forces are internal forces that developed on
the structure because of ground movements.
• Three mutually perpendicular forces act on the structure
during an earthquake, two horizontal forces which acts in
opposite direction and one vertical force due to the weight
of the structure.
• As vertical force doesn’t affect much during earthquake
whereas two opposite horizontal forces results in
movement of the building during an earthquake.
• These two horizontal direction forces are considered in the
design.
• Due to inertia, additional forces on the structure develop
on the superstructure.
• The impact of an earthquake on structure depends on the
stiffness of structure, soil media, location and height of the
structure.
• Accordingly, the earth has been divided into several zones
depending on the magnitude of an earthquake.
• Consider an example of Japan which is prone to frequent
earthquakes.
• Japan lies in a severe earthquake zone in the world.
• At this place, earthquake forces are strictly taken into
consideration while designing a structure.

In order to compute the seismic forces acting on a structure is

deduced by computing one of the below-mentioned
methods.
1. Response spectrum method
2. Seismic coefficient method.
Some other types of loads:
Some other types of forces or loads that act on the structure
which are taken into account in case they are liable to affect
materially the safety or serviceability of structure:
• Foundation movement (IS 1904)
• Erection load (IS 875- Part2)
• Vibration, Fatigue
• Soil and fluid pressures (IS 875- Part5)
• Stress concentration effect due to point of application of
load.