interior walls design loads

[tonymz]

Section 1607.13 of IBC recommends 5 psf design pressure for interior walls.

that seems low to me - does anyone know of another recommendation or use anything higher?

Specifically I am designing interior storefront mullions - sometimes in schools or public buildings

 

[KootK]

On the inside of a vestibule etc, I'll often use exterior pressures. Or if it's something like a pressurized room in a hospital, I'll seek guidance from the mechanical engineer. I've actually had the light gauge walls surrounding a pressurized operating room blow out during commissioning. I seek to avoid a repeat of that incident.

I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.

 

[Guastavino]

No, but in my area a 90 mph wind gets you to around 15-20 psf for exterior wall loads. So, I'd say stay lower than that by a good bit.

Also, what if you consider using the "Guardrail" loads. Like 50 plf at the midspan or a 200# concentrated load, in the event you got a bunch of folks leaning on the wall.

Or use some arbitrary fake wind speed, like say 40 MPH and calc that out to a PSF and use that.

Summary, nothing specific that I'm aware of, the above is how I would use my judgment if I Was worried about it.