Category: Structure & materials
Prepared by Eng. Ahmed Fathy, Projects Manager ·
Definition
Dead loads are the building's permanent weight: concrete, walls, finishes and fixed equipment. Live loads vary with use: people, furniture and storage, set by the loads code SBC 301, with residential live loads much lower than warehouses or libraries.
Why it matters on a project
Changing a space's use later, such as turning a room into an archive or adding roof water tanks, can exceed the design loads and needs a structural check.
Common mistake
Adding heavy finishes, roof gardens or extra tanks on the roof without asking the structural designer.
Frequently asked questions
Can a floor be added to an existing building?
Only after a structural study proves the foundations and columns can carry it, with permit approval.
Are roof water tanks a problem?
Yes if they were not in the design or sit mid-span without a suitable beam.
Related terms
- Saudi Building Code (SBC)The mandatory design and construction requirements in Saudi Arabia.
- Structural drawingsDrawings of foundations, columns, beams and slabs with their reinforcement.
- MezzanineAn intermediate floor open to the floor below.
- Reinforced concreteConcrete containing steel reinforcement to resist the tensile forces concrete alone cannot carry.
Read next
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