The load producing the greatest stress in a framing member is the governing load for that member.
Floor load width explained.
Floor loads whether the bearers are supporting load bearing walls or only floor loads the area of the floor supported by an individual bearer must be determined.
The dead load on a floor is determined by the materials used in the floor s construction.
In both instances the floor load width is equal to the sum of half of the total span on either side of the bearer total span 4m floor load width 2m for a visual representation of the floor load width see the sketch below.
This is referred to as the floor load width flw.
A room used solely for sleeping might need to carry only 30 psf whereas a garage floor over a basement would need 50 psf or higher.
A typical wood frame floor covered with carpet or vinyl flooring has a dead load of about 8 pounds per square foot.
An inaccessible attic space on the other hand might have a live load of only 20 psf.
Critical reinforcement beam stress and deflection conditions occur based upon maximum wheels loads for the floor beams joists spaced less than 8 0.
Example flw floor if x 2000mm load width y 4000mm a 900mm flw a x 2 a flw a 1900mm flw b x y 2 flw b 3000mm flw c y 2 flw c 2000mm 79.
If there s wall board covered ceiling suspended from the underside of that floor the dead load increases to about 10 pounds per square foot.
Floor load width flw 78.
The load is an average value.
Where the bearer supports load bearing walls the type of roof covering also needs to be determined.
First floor live loads have higher requirements than second floor live loads 40 pounds per square foot vs.
Bearer floor joist design example simple rectangular shaped light weight home floor joists bearers 3600 section gable roof 25o pitch steel sheet.
Drywall attached to the underside of this system is not expected to crack when the floor joist system deflects 1 3.