What is Live Load? 

What is Live Load? 

 

When designing scaffolds at IDH we have to identify what they are going to be used for.  In order to design the scaffold, gantry, birdcage or bridging etc, we need to first identify the load it will carry. Normally we would expect the Main Contractor to advise what their requirements are. However, TG 20: Table 1 and BS5975:2008 have identified a number of typical building operations undertaken from scaffolds and the loads which these scaffolds should be designed for.

Sometimes the engineering term kN (kilo newton) can be confusing – so to put simply, it is a mass. 

1 kN = 100 kg   so, 1 kN/m2 = 100kg in every available square metre of space at the same time. 

What does this mean in real terms? 

 

(Extracted from Where’s Wally 2012 Scaffolders Design manual)

 

Read more Technical Guidelines.