Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!

Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!

  • Congratulations cowski on being selected by the Eng-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!

ceiling live load

Status
Not open for further replies.

Triangled

Structural
Joined
Jun 30, 2013
Messages
594
Location
US
I'm checking a bowstring truss with a ceiling framed into the lower chord. What live load at ceiling would you use and would you apply it simultaneously with roof live load? It looks uninhabitable and I see no signs of storage use.
 
If a rectangle 3'-6" X 2'-0" fits between any of the members, a 20 PSF Live Load needs to be applied in that area. Attic live loads are concurrent with roof live load. Use the ASCE 7 load combinations.
 
What if the trusses are on 2'-0" centers?
 
According to ASCE 7 attic live loads are not concurrent with roof live loads....see Table 4-1, footnotes l and m


Check out Eng-Tips Forum's Policies here:
faq731-376
 
If it's a bowstring truss I'm assuming it's a non-residential usage and I believe you would fall under "Storage areas above ceilings" 20 psf live load. This section is not clear if it needs to be combined with roof live load, so I would combine it similar to as noted under footnote "m" referenced by JAE. I would probably be tempted to follow the definition of storage per footnote "l" and only use 10 PSF non-concurrent if you didn't meet the size requirements. Given it is likely non-residential I don't think the code is completely clear, as it is for residential usage.

Depending on the usage, you may also need to review "Primary roof members exposed to a work floor". You may need to design for 2,000# panel point load depending on the space below.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Part and Inventory Search

Sponsor

Back
Top