To ensure the longevity and structural safety of a building, it is essential to calculate the load on a floor. It entails being aware of the maximum weight that a floor can bear without losing structural integrity. Whether you’re designing a new building, remodeling an old one, or determining the safety of a floor that is being used, this calculation is crucial.
There are two main types of loads on a floor: live load and dead load. The weight of a building’s permanent elements, like its walls, columns, and floor, is referred to as its "dead load." Conversely, movable or temporary components like furniture, people, and equipment are included in the live load. The total load that a floor can safely support must take into account both kinds of loads.
Architects and engineers use precise formulas and standards established by building codes to calculate these loads with accuracy. They consider the floor’s measurements, the materials that were used in construction, and the intended use of the area. For example, the load requirements of a floor in a residential building will differ from those of a floor in a commercial or industrial setting.
Load calculations are also influenced by variables like the intended maintenance schedule, seismic activity, and climate conditions. Buildings in seismically active areas, for instance, must take extra dynamic loads into consideration during seismic events.
Engineers can identify the right materials and structural supports required to guarantee the floor’s long-term durability and safety once the loads have been calculated. In addition to safeguarding the occupants, this procedure aids in optimizing the design to satisfy functional and safety requirements.
| Factor | Calculation Method |
| 1. Dead Load | Sum of weights of permanent components like structural elements, finishes, and fixed equipment. |
| 2. Live Load | Weight of movable objects and people that the floor is designed to support, typically specified by building codes. |
Knowing how to compute the load on a floor requires taking into account various elements, including safety regulations, the materials utilized, and the intended use of the area. The fundamentals of load calculation will be covered in this article, along with useful advice and examples to assist builders and homeowners in determining the weight that a floor can support safely. Readers will have a better understanding of how to guarantee structural integrity and safety in their buildings by adhering to these guidelines."
How to find out the calculated load on the floor slab
The allowable load on the overlap for hollow plates has already been determined by experts at the reinforced concrete plant, and the resultant value has been entered into the marking. Therefore, there is no need to perform this calculation by hand. All you have to do is be able to read it.
The floor slab’s brand, as per GOST 9561-2016 and GOST 23009 standards, is made up of two sets of characters divided by a hyphen:
- The first group indicates the type of plate, its length and width in decimeters, rounded to a whole value.
- In the second group, the first value is just the calculated load on the floor slab in the KPA (kgf · m 2). Then they indicate the class of steel of strained reinforcement, the type of concrete and additional characteristics, if they are: seismic resistance, chemical resistance and the like.
For instance, if the stove has the 1PK 42 marking on it.15-8, that indicates that you are in front of you:
- a thickness of 220 mm with voids of a round section of 159 mm (1PK);
- about 4200 mm long;
- a width of about 1500 mm;
- with a calculated permissible load on the floor of 8 kPa.
However, some businesses still mark their floor slabs using antiquated methods rather than in compliance with the latest GOST regulations. In this instance, there will be a hyphen where the length and width of the plate would normally be separated by a point. Furthermore, they frequently write PC rather than 1PK and affix the index, beginning with 2PK.
Collection of loads for ceiling
The maximum load that the floor slab will be able to support under normal use conditions is the estimated load indicated by the marking. Finding the real load on the plate and comparing it to this normative value is the main goal of the additional computation.
The particular plate brand may be used for overlap if the number of loads is less than the average. You must select a plate with a higher bearing capacity if there is a shortage or excess supply.
The three components added together represent the overall load on the floor slab:
- weight of the slab itself;
- constant loads;
- Temporary loads.
After doing separate calculations for each, simply fold.
The standard is also advised to lead to this standard because the majority of loads are measured in kilograms per unit area. This can be accomplished by simply multiplying the KPA value by 101.97. Specifically, 1PK 18 plate. 12-8 is capable of supporting a load of 8 kPa, or roughly 815 kg/m^2.
The weight of the floor slab
The weight of the ceiling itself, or the slabs, makes up the first part of the load on the ceiling. It can be obtained from GOST 26434-2015, which provides a weight reference for all floor slabs with typical dimensions.
Specifically, the reference weight for one of the slabs in our example (1PK 42.15-8) is 2.3 tons. In other words, 2.3/(4.2 × 1.5) = 0.365 tons, or 365 kg, will be the load per square meter.
Permanent overlap loads
One type of constant load is the weight of buildings.
- leveling cement-sand screed;
- flooring;
- hidden communications;
- partitions (not walls);
- ceiling finishes.
Additionally, the mass of the floor slab is a fixed load. However, it is more convenient to calculate it using brackets because, in the event that the load on the floor is too great but the plate’s weight is not, the screed’s thickness or the finish’s composition can be altered.
The weight of the finish, which is the evenly distributed portion of the permanent load, cannot be measured; instead, it must be taken by SP 20.13330.2016. For residential buildings, the standard value is 1.5 kPa, or roughly 153 kg/m^2. However, there will be a lot of partitions, if any, to compute. Furthermore, the same standard states that it cannot be less than 0.5 kPa, or roughly 51 kg/m 2.
Temporary loads on the floor slab
Temporary loads come in two varieties:
- Long. These are loads from those stationary structures and objects that potentially from the floor slab can be removed. For example, the weight of the machine is a long load. A more domestic example is the heating radiators of the floor installation, the built -in bath.
- Short -term. These are loads from people, animals, as well as furniture and other things that are easily transferred from place to place.
Different rules apply to adding different loads, necessitating such a separation.
Thus, the largest long-term load on the floor is considered in its entirety, while a coefficient of 0.95 is applied to all other loads. The greatest short-term load is also not decreased, the second-most significant load is multiplied by a coefficient of 0.9, and the remaining loads are all multiplied by 0.7.
As an illustration, in the restroom there is:
- from long loads – a built -in bath weighing 200 kg, a shower cabin weighing 75 kg and a washing machine weighing 50 kg;
- From short -term – a person weighing 70 kg, a floor cabinet, which, together with the contents, weighs 25 kg, and a nightstand weighing 10 kg.
The cumulative long-term load on the slab will therefore be 200 + 75 × 0.95 + 50 × 0.95 = 318.75 kg. Moreover, the short term equals 70+25 × 0.9+10 × 0.7 = 99.5 kg. 418.25 kg in total. Additionally, the money received needs to be split up according to the room’s size. If there are multiple rooms on one floor slab, their space needs to be folded up before being divided.
The total load
A straightforward arithmetic total of all load types is the final step. But subtlety is present here.
For factory-made concrete slabs, you must use the reliability coefficient of 1.2 on SP 20.13330.2016. This implies that 1.2 more must be added to the final total load. And now contrast this figure with the floor slab’s computed allowable load.
Any building structure must be able to calculate its load on a floor in order to be safe and long-lasting. The entire weight that the floor system is required to support, including people, furniture, equipment, and outside elements like wind or snow, is referred to as the load on a floor. Accurately calculating this load is crucial to avoiding structural failures and extending the life of the structure.
First of all, it’s crucial to account for both live and dead loads when calculating floor loads. The permanent, static weights of the building components themselves—such as the floors, walls, and fixed partitions—are known as dead loads. In contrast, live loads are dynamic loads that are subject to change over time. Examples of these types of loads include people, furniture, and movable equipment. Building codes and standards usually specify these loads to make sure the floor can safely support anticipated usage.
Engineers use particular formulas and guidelines provided by building codes and structural engineering principles to calculate the load on a floor. They take into account variables like the floor area in square feet, the kind of occupancy (residential, commercial, or industrial), and the anticipated maximum loads. For instance, because residential floors are typically used differently than commercial or industrial floors, they typically require a lower live load.
Furthermore, environmental considerations are very important when calculating load. Structures located in areas that experience significant snowfall or strong winds need to adjust their load calculations accordingly. To make sure the structure can withstand all possible stresses, engineers also look at snow loads, wind loads, and seismic loads (earthquake forces).
In summary, determining the load on a floor necessitates a thorough evaluation of the static and dynamic forces that the floor must bear. Engineers are able to design and build floors that satisfy safety regulations and guarantee the structural integrity of buildings for the duration of their lives by adhering to established protocols and utilizing precise data.
