Parking Garage Live Load - Valet
Parking Garage Live Load - Valet
(OP)
The current ASCE 7 references a uniform live load for parking garages of 40 psf. This is reduced from the previous versions which referenced a 50 psf live load. Within the commentary, it appears to also allow for this same 40 psf loading even if the parking garage is utilizing valet parking or stacked parking over conventional parking.
What do you all say? Am I interpreting the commentary (ASCE 7-10) C4.7.4 correctly?
Thanks!
What do you all say? Am I interpreting the commentary (ASCE 7-10) C4.7.4 correctly?
Thanks!






RE: Parking Garage Live Load - Valet
I don't think the load increases that much to warrant anything over the 40 psf minimum. A compact parking stall is 16' x 8' and the average vehicle weight in the US is 4,000#. Let's just use 4,500# for the sake of it. That's 35 psf over your entire floor even if there were no drive isles.
The code commentary indicates that 40 psf is plenty (especially given the 1.6 LL factor) even for tighter special purpose (valet) parking.
RE: Parking Garage Live Load - Valet
Do not host dance parties on parking garage deck -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embed...
RE: Parking Garage Live Load - Valet
Thanks again!
RE: Parking Garage Live Load - Valet
SK Ghosh has a good article on the change from way back when: Link (PDF).
Also since you're talking valet and we had this discussion in our office a while back, a good blog post on public vs. private parking garages for determining seismic mass, again from SK Ghosh: Link