Measured Live Loads

[preynolds]

I am curious to see if anyone has any articles or other information referencing actual measured live loads in comparision to code mandated live loads. I seem to recall reading an article some time ago stating the a structural rarely sees anything over 12 or 20 psf. I know that is vague but I don't recall exactly.

Appreaciate any help.

pat

 

[steve1]

I came across this on the internet:

"At that time, the Secretariat for American National Standard Committee A58 on Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures was administered in the Structures Division of the Center for Building Tech-nology. The antecedents at NBS for this standard dated back to 1924, when the Building and Materials Division published a report under the auspices of the Department of Commerce Building Code Committee on Minimum Live Loads."

I seem to remember that live loads were originally developed by the Commerece Department under the direction of Herbert Hoover.

 

[preynolds]

I just noticed that I have two spelling errors in my original post. That really ticks me off.

Thanks for the info steve1.

pat

 

[dik]

Although dated... the Steel Skeleton by Baker published by Oxford University Press has some information based on areas and actual measured live loading. There has been a significant change in office design over the last few decades that will not be reflected in their notes...

Dik

 

[DaveAtkins]

The ASCE 7 (I have the 1998 version) discusses this in its Commentary. Table C4-2 is interesting--it shows live loads based on survey data.

DaveAtkins

 

[tonyuk]

http://www.ihbc.org.uk/context_archive/70/floorloadings/floor.html

"Floor loadings in historic buildings" refers to an English Heritage paper which found (IIRC) that actual floor loads in offices rarely reach half the standard design value.