What’s a load diagram?

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A load diagram is a detailed representation of the loads on a structure, calculated for structural engineering purposes. Engineers and architects create such diagrams in the process of developing plans for a new building to ensure that the building is designed to cope with the strain it will experience with the weight of the components and contents. In some regions, a copy of this scheme must be submitted along with other supporting details in permit applications and documentation accompanying the construction project. The copy proves that the calculations have been performed.

Many types of deformation can occur along the height, width, and breadth of a building, including bending and shear forces. In the load diagram, the engineer should be able to show the distribution of loads in the building, using known information about the construction and how the building will be used. The engineer can indicate what types of loads will be present and could map their intensity.

If the load diagram reveals a hot spot where the forces are particularly high, the building may require special engineering to address it, or the building design may need to be modified slightly to redistribute the loads more appropriately. With innovative new design, especially projects that have large amounts of open space and interesting new materials, the load diagram is very important, because the engineer may not have a similar existing building to use as a model.

This is part of the structural analysis done to make sure a building remains stable during use. In addition to thinking about the loads inherent in the building, engineers may also need to consider earthquakes, storms, and other factors that could add stress to a building. A load diagram should be able to show how the building will maintain its integrity in the event of a situation such as an earthquake, by absorbing and distributing stress rather than crumpling or breaking under the strain.

Computer-aided design (CAD) programs can calculate a load diagram using known parameters entered by an engineer. There are also engineering programs that can do similar tasks. Using a computer could help ensure the accuracy and detail of the calculations, or an engineer can check the manual math with the assistance of the computer program. Errors in a load diagram can be a significant problem, because they could lead to situations such as under-engineering the belief that a building is perfectly stable and does not need additional support trusses and other structural elements.

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