MBEYA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

REINFORCED CONCRETE DESIGN AND DETAILING II

PROF. J. J. MSAMBICHAKA
JUNE 2021

TOPIC: LOADING

1. DEFINITIONS

Load Any action which introduces stresses or strains in a

structure

Accidental load Load, which either directly or indirectly occurs due to

accidents or unpredictable situations. Magnitude and
frequency are often difficult to determine

Dead Load is the self-weight of the structure and the weight of

finishes, ceilings, services and partitions;

Imposed Load is caused by people, furniture, and equipment

etc. on floors and snow on roofs.

Permanent load Load which in direction and magnitude is independent on

time.

Characteristic load A load which has a particular acceptable probability of not

being exceeded, (for permanent loads this probability is
50%, and for variable loads (it is) 98% within One year).
Variable loads (it is) 98% within one year).

Design load Characteristic load multiplied with the load coefficient.

Load coefficient Partial safety coefficient for loads. (The coefficient takes
account of

un-predictable variation of the characteristic load,

inaccuracy in the loading model used and the reduced
probability for loads, all having their characteristic value
simultaneously)

Characteristic Strength A material strength property which has a particular

acceptable probability of not being attained. (This
 probability is most often defined as the 5% fraction value in
standard normal distribution).

Design strength Characteristic strength divided by the material coefficient.

Material coefficient Partial safety coefficient for materials.

(The coefficient takes account of unpredictable variations of

the properties, inaccuracy of calculation models,
geometrical data and control efficiency.

Limit state A particular state which a structure or a component has

attained due to the loads acting on it when at the point of no
longer fulfilling the particular requirement it was designed
for.

Ultimate limit state Corresponds to the requirements governing safety against

complete collapse due to excessive loading.

Serviceability limit state Corresponds to requirement governing normal use and

durability.

Characteristic capacity Load carrying capacity of a structure or a component which

a particular (low) probability of not being attained if tested.
(The characteristic capacity is derived from testing
structures or components, and refers to the lower 5%

2. BASIC DESIGN RULES

Design of structures must be carried out to the limit states corresponding to the
requirements stated in the Codes.

The basic design criteria which must be proved valid in any of the limit state designs,
requires that the design resistance of the structure must exceed the design load effect.
Ultimate limit state design is carried out when sufficient load carrying capacity is
required.

Plastic or elastic method of analysis may be applied depending on the behavior of the
materials and the structure when being exposed to excessive loading.

Serviceability limit state design is carried out when proper service of the structure is
required with respect to deflections and deformations due to load action, temperature,
shrinkage etc.

Elastic method of analysis is normally appropriate.

3. DESIGN LOADS

The design loads are calculated as

F d = . Fc γ

Where

Fd = the design load

Fc = the characteristic load

γ = the partial safety coefficient for load

The partial safety coefficient for load varies according to the limit state considered, the
type of load acting and other additional loads assumed to be acting simultaneously.

Applicable values for loads are given in Table 2.1 of the Code (below).

The most unfavorable load combinations given both in the ultimate limit state (common
loads) and in the serviceability limit state have to be checked.

The accidental load combinations for earthquake, fire and cyclone winds apply only to
structures where the failure consequences are graded as very serious (safety class 3).
Table: Partial safety coefficients of loads for different load combinations (BS 8110)

4. PERMANENT LOAD

Weight of building materials

The following numbers may be used to calculate the characteristic weight of building
components.

Only if other values are proved more accurate, the following numbers for density may be
omitted.

Materials Unit
Component Weight
(kN/m3)
Stone (Solid) 27
Concrete Reinforced Concrete 24
and Blocks
Cement 31.5
Mortar 20
Aerated Concrete 6
Expanded clay 14- 16
concrete
21
Solid concrete blocks
14
5- 7
 Hollow concrete 8- 14
blocks
14 – 18
Airated concrete
blocks
Expanded clay
blocks
Bricks
Metals Steel 77

Cast iron 71

Aluminium 27

Soils Clay 20

Silt, sand, murram 18

(dry)
13
Sand (loose and dry)
15
Rocks, gravel

Timber ( Adina, muwa 9

dry)
Mtundu, mbalamwezi 8

Mninga, mvule 7

Newtonia, Grevillea,

Mtambara,
Mkangazi, Mahogany
6

Timber Plywood board 7

Products Chipboard, particle 7

(dry) board
10
Fibre board, hard
3
Fibre board, soft
15
Wood wool slabs
Roofing and Bitumen 8
cladding
Roofing paper 10 –15

Asbestos cement 20
sheets
1-2
Thatch
25
Glass
6- 9
Gypsum board
0.5- 2
Mineral wool
10-20
Rubber

5. WATER PRESSURE

Water pressure may normally be divided into one permanent load and one variable.

The following loads may be regarded as permanent

 Water pressure from average height of tide and average level of water in lakes and
rivers.

 Water pressure from average level of water table in ground

 Water pressure when the level is fixed by an overrun in dams, storage cylinders
etc.

For density of water, 10 kN/m3 should be applied.

6. SOIL PRESSURE

Earth may consist of any soil or mixture of soil such as stones, gravel, murram, sand, silt,
clay or organic masses.

Soil pressure on supporting structures will vary according to geometric conditions,

strength, deformation properties and weight of the soil, water table level, pore pressure,
and deformation properties and surface texture of the structure (friction between the
structure and the soil).
Vibrations, compaction, transport and storing of items in the neighbourhood etc. may also
affect the soil pressure.

More accurate calculations must be based on information about the above mentioned soil
properties on site, obtained by site inspection, soil sampling and testing.

Materials and partial safety coefficients

If density of the soil is not measured, 18k N/m 3 should be used.

The load coefficient = 1.0 should be used for calculation of design weight of soil.

7. IMPOSED LOADS

Service loads may be regarded as static loads unless otherwise is stated.

Vertical Loads from people, furniture, fittings and equipment

The characteristic values of vertical loads (uniformly distributed, due to people, furniture,
fittings, and equipment) are given in the table below as per BS 6399.

Table: Characteristic values for imposed loads (BS 6399).

Premises (Floors and Roofs) Distributed
Load
qc (kN/m2)
All Premises in residential buildings 1.5
Bedroom and staffrooms in hospitals, dispensaries, 2.0
nurseries
Offices, reception and classrooms 2.0
in schools
Terraces and roof retraces 2.0
Balconies 3.0
 Shops 3.0
Kitchens, and laundries in hotels and institutions 3.0
Theatres, Cinemas etc. with fixed seating 4.0
Assembly rooms and halls without fixed seating 5.0
Factory halls, workshops, storage rooms, Libraries etc. must be 4.0
designed for the actual characteristic loads, and not less than
Flat roof, slope less than 1:5 0.7
Sloping roof, slope more than 1:5 0.5
Sloping light-weight roof, slope more than1:5 0.2
Roof with access 1.5
Roof without access 0.75

When designing loads carrying walls, column and foundations in multistoried residential
or office buildings, the loads in table above may be reduced according to the following
rules:

Allowed reduction in % of the value given in Table below.

Table [Link] Reduction of service loads in multistoried buildings

(BS 6399)

Number of floors with loads qualifying Reduction in total distributed imposed

for reduction carried by member under load on all floors carried by the
consideration member under consideration %
1 0
2 10
3 20
4 30
5 to 10 40
over 10 50 max

Concentrated loads

Floors, staircases and terraces etc. must be designed to carry one concentrated load not
less than 1.5 kN.

This load should be assumed to cover a circular area with diameter 25 mm.
Roofs must be designed to carry one concentrated load of not less than 0.75 kN. This
load should be assumed to cover a circular area with diameter 50 mm.

Concentrated loads should not be combined with other variable loads.

Loads on handrails

The characteristics value of horizontal and vertical loads on handrails of stairs, balconies
and terraces in residences and offices is 0.4 kN/m.

Where a crowd may be expected gather, the load should be assumed to be 0.8 kN/m or
more.

Services loads from heavy machinery and equipment

Vibrations, dynamic loads and concentrated loads may occur due to the specials activities
and fittings.

The maximum values of the loads must be determined, and the structure must be
designed to carry the determined loads.

Special literature may be used for calculating these loads.

Service Loads from stored materials, goods and masses

Stored materials, goods and masses may cause contracted and distributed loads, vertical
and horizontal loads. The effect of friction forces must be considered. Tensile forces in
the floor under stored mass must also be considered.

Service Loads from vehicles

The characteristic loads are determined from the heaviest vehicles which may enter the
structure.

Both maximum loads from the wheels (concentrated loads) and a uniformly distributed
load should be considered.

For vehicles weighing less than 25 kN, the uniform load should be assumed to be 2.5
kN/m2 and the wheels not less than 7.5 kN each.

The area of contact for each wheel should be assumed equal to 100mm x 100mm.

Floors in garages and multistoried car parks may normally be assumed subjected to this
load.

For vehicles weighing more than 25 kN, special literature should be consulted.
The loads should be assumed acting on the area which is accessible to the vehicles.

The concentrated loads are to be placed in the most unfavorable positions within the area
and with distances which correspond to the position of the wheels.

Horizontal forces due to impact from small accidents may be assumed to be 20% of the
total weight of the vehicle.

Larger impact forces may be regarded as accidental loads.

8. WIND LOADS

Wind loads are derived from wind speed and wind pressure.

The design wind speed is dependent on the geographical situation, the nature of the
surroundings, and the height above the ground

Basic wind speed

The basic wind speeds for major stations Tanzania was obtained from a study of
evaluating parent records of maximum monthly wind speeds and is given in the map in
the Figure below and in the Table below.
Figure: Map of Tanzania showing basic wind speed in m/s at major stations
Table: Basic wind speed

S/N Station Basic wind speed

in m/s
1 Arusha 31
2 Bukoba 48
3 Dar es Salaam 27
4 Dodoma 36
5 Iringa 29
6 Kigoma 48
7 Mbeya 41
8 Morogoro 42
9 Moshi 35
10 Musoma 29
11 Mtwara 38
12 Mwanza 29
13 Shinyanga 46
14 Songea 34
15 Sumbawanga 34
16 Tabora 33
17 Tanga 30
18 Zanzibar 29

9. EARTHQUAKE LOADS

Where earthquake design of structures is required, earthquake loads shall either be

determined by the simplified rules or by accurate dynamic analysis of the structure
provided the horizontal ground acceleration used is not less than given in the map in the
figure.

Ultimate limit state design for earthquake loads only apply to structures where failure
consequences are graded as very serious.
Earthquake induces vibrations and oscillations in structures which cause stresses in the
structural components.

The magnitude of these stresses depends on several factors.

 the magnitude, direction and durability of the earthquake movements

 the behaviour of the soil under and close to the foundations

 the dynamic response of the structure (period of oscillation, rigidity, ductility,

weight, dimensions and shape of the structure)

 permanent loads, service loads and other loads acting on the structure
simultaneously

 the influence of direct or indirect contact with neighbouring structures

The forces calculated in simplified rules should be assumed to be static and acting in any
horizontal direction.

Independent design considering loads acting parallel to both horizontal main axes of the
structure, may normally be assumed adequate.
Figure: Seismic risk map of Tanzania