LIVE LOADS FOR DIFFERENT BUILDING

FLOORS
Live loads are different for different buildings and structures. It keeps
changing from time to time even on same structure. Examples for live loads
are weight of persons, movable partitions, dust loads, weight of furniture
etc. These loads should be suitable assumed by the designed. It is one of the
major loads in structural design. The minimum live loads per square meter
area for different types of structures are given in IS 875 (Part-2)-1987.

IS 875 (Part-II)-1987 specifies the live loads for following

occupancy conditions:

 Residential Buildings- dwelling houses, hotels, hostels, boiler rooms and

plant rooms, garages etc.
 Educational buildings
 Institutional buildings
 Assembly buildings
 Business and office buildings
 Mercantile buildings
 Industrial buildings
 Storage Rooms

The code specifies uniformly distributed loads as wells as concentrated

loads. The structures are to be investigated for both uniformly distributed
and worst position of concentrated loads. The condition which gives worst
 effect should be considered for structural design, but both should not be
considered to act simultaneously.

Following are the live loads for different buildings:

Sl. UDL Load Concentrated
Description
No. (kN/m2) Load (kN)

1. Bathrooms and toilets in all types of 2 1.8

buildings

2. Living and bed rooms

3 Office rooms in

(i) Hostel, hotels, hospitals 2.5 2.7

and business building with
separate store
(ii) In assembly buildings 3 4.5

4. Kitchens in

(i) Dwelling houses 2 1.8

(ii) Hostels, hotels and 3 4.5

hospitals
5. Banking halls, class rooms, X-ray rooms, 3 4.5
operation rooms

6. Dining rooms in

(i) Educational buildings, 3 2.7

institutional and mercantile
buildings
(ii) Hostels and hotels 4 2.7

7. Corridors, passages, stair cases in

(i) Dwelling houses, hotels, 3 4.5

and hostels
(ii) Educational, institutional 4 4.5
and assembly buildings
(iii) Mercantile buildings 5 4.5
8. Reading rooms in libraries

(i) With separate storage 3 4.5

(ii) Without separate storage 4 4.5

9. Assembly areas in assembly buildings

(i) With fixed seats 5

(ii) Without fixed seats 5 3.6

10. Store rooms in educational buildings 5 4.5

11. Store room in libraries 6 for a height of 4.5

2.24 2kN/m2 for
every 1m
additional height

12. Boiler rooms and plant rooms in

(i) Hostels, hotels and 5 4.5

hospitals, mercantile and
industrial buildings
(ii) Assembly and storage 7.5 4.5
buildings