Distributed loads

Distributed loads (or surface loads) are loads that are exerted over a larger surface area. They are most likely to be dead loads such as the weight of foundation slabs spread over the entire area of contact with the ground.

The term can also be used to reflect different types of live loads also, for example if a person lies on the floor rather than stands they are employing weight distribution, that is to say their weight is distributed over a larger surface area of the whole body than just the area of their feet if they were standing.

A uniformly distributed load (UDL) is a load that is distributed or spread across the whole region of an element such as a beam or slab. In other words, the magnitude of the load remains uniform throughout the whole element.

If, for example, a 20 kN/m load is acting on a beam of length 10m, then it can be said that a 200 kN load is acting throughout the length of 10m (20kN x 10m).

Other types of load include; point loads, line loads, coupled loads, uniformly varying loads and so on. For more information see: Types of structural load.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Bearing capacity.
• Beam and block.
• Biaxial bending.
• Braced frame.
• Concept structural design of buildings.
• Dead loads.
• Finished floor level.
• Flooring.
• Gross floor area GFA.
• Lateral loads.
• Limit state design.
• Live loads.
• Load-bearing wall.
• Point load.
• Resilient flooring.
• Structural engineer.
• Types of floor.
• Types of structural load.
• Uniformly Distributed Load.
• Wind load.

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