Master loads: Learn How To Calculate and apply Loads Correctly on residential Buildings

Learn the step-by-step processes of calculating the snow, live, dead, wind and imperfection load and the earth pressure

Get loads on residential buildings

Why Loads are so Important in Structural Engingeering

Without knowing the loads that act on a structural element like a reinforced concrete beam or timber column you can’t verify the element and make sure it’s big enough.

The foundation of every structural design

Every structural element like a reinforced concrete beam or timber column is verified for loads.

Optimizing loads saves money and co2

Most engineers use loads that are bigger than the actual loads. It’s quicker and on the safe side. But it’s also more expensive. Knowing load calcs in detail and optimizing loads, sets you apart from the “normal” engineer.

mistakes can lead to a collapse

Calculating loads wrongly or forgetting loads can lead to a wrong calculation of the element’s resistance and ultimately to its failure.

What’s Inside the E-Book

Loads on Residential Buildings includes the load calculation of all loads that a typical residential building needs to be designed for

dead load on residential roof

Dead Load

Calculation of the dead load of structural and non-structural (horizontal and vertical) elements based on densities. We are defining the dead load of all horizontal elements such as the roof and the floors, but also vertical elements like walls. To every calculated area load, we added a 3D visualization showing how you apply the load to the structure.

live load on the floor of a residential building

Live Load

You’ll learn where you find the correct live load values in Eurocode and how you apply the live load on roofs, floors and staircases.

wind load on the roof of a residential building

Wind Load

– Calculation of the peak velocity pressure
– Vertical wind load on pitched and flat roofs: Calculation and 3D visuals that show how to apply the different wind load areas to the roof
– Horizontal wind load on walls: Calculation and 3D visuals

snow load on residential buildings

Snow Load

Learn how to calculate and apply the snow load on pitched and abutted roofs.

earth pressure on the basement walls of a residential building

Earth Pressure

You’ll learn how the earth pressure is calculated. This is something you always need to do for basement walls.

imperfection load on residential loads

Imperfection Loads

No structure is 100% as we calculate it. To account for these deviations of the geometry, we use imperfection loads, which are horizontal loads that we add to wind loads.

load combinations

Bonus: ULS & SLS Load Combinations

Structural elements like reinforced concrete beams or timber columns are verified with design loads calculated with load combinations. Over the years, I’ve met many students who know how to calculate load, but when it comes load combinations they are lost. That’s why you’ll find a dedicated section about load combinations in the book.

Get loads on residential buildings

The Reason Why I Created Loads on Residential Buildings

The first thing you need to do before designing and verifying your structure and structural elements is always calculating the loads acting on your building.

The whole point of structural engineering is to make sure your structure doesn’t fail for the actions (=loads) acting on it.

So it’s crucial that you calculate the loads correctly and don’t forget one.

Any calculation mistake could lead to a collapse of the building.

The problem is – that we learn a lot about static systems, internal force calculation, reinforced concrete beam design, timber connection design, dynamics. But most universities don’t have a course about loads.

In design classes (concrete, steel and timber design classes) the loads are often given.

I had such a hard time understanding loads when I was still in uni. And I spent tens – maybe even hundreds of hours reading through the different Eurocodes to teach myself.

In uni, I saw many of my friends struggling to understand which load you have to apply in which direction and how to calculate it.

In the last years I designed many buildings and structures in my job as a structural engineer.

With this experience, I am very confident in my load calculation today and able to teach you.

That’s why I decided to write a book about it in the most practical way possible to share my knowledge because:

1. there’s too little practical information about it on the internet
2. I met and talked to so many people who don’t know where to start to learn about loads
3. it’s really hard to learn about load calculation if you are not a structural engineer or student
4. there’s no one guide that covers all loads on a building and even teaches how to apply the loads on the structure
5. it’s so important. Without knowing your loads, you can’t do structural design

FAQ

Loads on Residential Buildings is for anyone who wants to learn how to calculate loads like the dead, snow, live, wind and imperfection loads and the earth pressure according to Eurocode. You will also learn how to apply these load on the roof, walls and basement. You could be a structural engineering student, mechanical engineer or somebody who is curious about loads.

This book is based on Eurocode. If you are based in a country that doesn’t use Eurocode and you are looking for a guide on how to calculate loads on residential buildings in the US, this is probably not the guide for you. But if you are interested in how loads are calculated with Eurocode and how snow, live, dead, wind load, imperfections and earth pressure are applied to buildings, it might be a good resource for you.

If you are looking for a guide on how to calculate the seismic load this ebook isn’t for you. The seismic load is not included in this guide because it’s calculated differently in most countries according to their National Annexes. I know from experience that it’s very different methods, for example in Germany, Austria and Denmark. Even though, Austria and Denmark are neighbouring countries to Germany. If I include the seismic load according to the Danish Annex, it wouldn’t apply to almost everyone who buys this guide. Therefore, I decided to not include the seismic load in this guide.

It’s a 50 page document with many images. Structural design reports can quickly become large. I put all the important information in it but also tried to keep it as concise as possible.

Loads on Residential Buildings

Finally understand Loads

Learn the most important fundamental of structural engineering:
How to calculate and apply loads according to Eurocode

Get loads on residential buildings