Live Load and Snow Load Combination

[Hot Sauce]

Hello All,

I am designing what was once a single story building with a flat roof, into essentially a deck. The columns are fine, but the wood beams need to be resized. The problem I am running into is that D + L + S is giving me a high value. The deck is to be used for socializing, so when there is a snow load present there will not be a live load (people). Do I just ignore the snow load and assume dead + live because the more conservative approach (D + L + S) probably won't occur at the same time? Or is there a rule-of-thumb that I am not aware of.

Thanks!

Hot Sauce

 

[msquared48]

I'd use D + L/2 + Snow with any drift loads included.

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)

 

[Celt83]

Basic load combo per IBC is D+0.75*L+0.75*S (EQ 16-8 thru 16-16) at least it was in IBC 2012.

 

[vmirat]

Get the regional building department to answer the question.