Multi-family residential Partition Load

[RFreund]

How do you handle partition loading in multi-family residential?
I could see a few cases:
1. Treat it as a dead load - typically 10psf is what I see. This load would not get reduced as it might for a live load. Most likely this load will be there.

2. Treat it as a live load - 15 psf as noted in ASCE 7. This is typically done in office buildings but because the code says "where partitions will be erected or rearranged" I suppose this could apply to multifamily residential as well.

3. Some combination of the above.

I could see an argument made either way. I mean typically the walls of multi-family residential are not going to move, but they could, just not as regularly as say, an office building.

Thanks!

EIT

http://www.HowToEngineer.com

 

[JAE]

1.



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[XR250]

I have never worried about it except typically to add a double joist under it if it is of significant length. Let's face it, an interior wall is only 2x4's and 2 layers of sheetrock - so about 6 psf. That gets lost in the noise in the grand scheme of things. I never max out spans in any structure to prevent serviceability complaints so there is always plenty of fat.

 

[KootK]

I've been using:

-actual weight for demising and corridor walls which usually don't load horizontal framing anyhow.
-5 psf extra on the floor area based on some typical unit plans.

This is something that I wish the codes covered explicitly. Many of my competitors just assume that it's covered in the live load.



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.

 

[SkiisAndBikes]

Treat as a dead load at the location it is to be installed. Never seen the moveable partition load applied in residential.

 

[XR250]

I guess I should clarify my post. 6 PSF x 9' height = 54 PLF. The way I look at it, the wall takes up about 6" of floor space with baseboard. - so you could subtract 20 plf of potential live load. Still does not make up for it completely , but close enough in my book. I def. take it into account for seismic, however.

 

[mike20793]

If it's condos, I include the partition load. If it's apartments or dorms, I include it as a dead load. I include the mass of the partitions for seismic regardless. After some debate with other engineers in my office, I agree with XR250 that it washes out with the conservatism of the other loads.

 

[KootK]

@mike: why the different treatment for condos.

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.

 

[mike20793]

It's very unlikely that an apartment unit will have the wall configurations changed unless it's a building wide renovation, but individual owners of condos may be able to make renovations. We started doing that when we had a high end condo project where the architect specifically told us partitions won't be erected until they are sold.