Load Combinations and Load Factors for Construction

Abstract

There is a current ASCE Standards Committee activity to develop a standard that provides engineers and designers with minimum recommended design loads for construction. This paper reports on the development of load combinations and load factors (for strength design) for this load standard. Consideration is given to the basis for the selection of load combinations and load factors, the relationship to similar terms in ASCE 7, the limitations (shortcomings) of these preliminary factors and combinations, and suggestions for future work to improve the standard.