Partition Loads

[McQSE]

IBC 1607.5 states that partition loads should be considered as live loads and not be less than 20 psf. It also states this applies to cases where the location of the partitions is subject to change. ASCE 7-05 lists partitions as dead loads in table C3-1.

What do you use for a partition load for an office building? If the partitions are fixed do you consider them as a dead load?

 

[McQSE]

Actually, IBC 2006 has changed the 20 psf to 15 psf.

 

[Lion06]

We consider them as LL.

 

[WillisV]

For an office building where any tenant could remodel interior partitions etc. use a LL of 15 (if IBC 2006). If you know that the walls will not move (e.g. a hotel or apartment with fixed demising walls) then you can use a dead load. Note that if you go with the 15psf LL route you can still reduce it per code.

 

[archeng59]

For projects designed as shell spaces on architectural drawings, used 20 psf as part of LL. If architectural drawings showed partitions are fixed, used weight of materials as DL.

 

[dik]

I usually include a note that states that partitions cannot be relocated without consultation of the engineer and show the location of the partitions. I then just check the weight of a standard partition less the live load displaced and design for the balance assuming an 8' x 8' grid.

Dik

 

[asixth]

I take the partition loading as superimposed dead load, typically 25% of the live load.