Construction Loads in SEI/ASCE 37-02

Abstract

Section 4 of the SEI/ASCE 37-02 Design Loads on Structures During Construction Standard deals with the construction loads that need to be accounted for in the design of structures during their various phases of construction. Loads on a structure during its construction may be greater or smaller than after its completion, and their combinations may be changing during construction by the construction sequence. The provisions of the Construction Loads section of the Standard are intended to be used to define the construction loads for the design of both temporary structures and permanent structures at various phases of their completion. The provisions cover material loads, personnel and equipment loads, horizontal construction loads, erection and fitting forces, equipment reactions, and concrete form pressures to be used in design. They also address the application, combination, and reduction of the loads when designing for different phases of the construction. Wherever possible, standard construction loads or specific methods are presented to quantify those loads. The complexity of modern construction, including the evolution of new materials and techniques, required the addition of extensive commentaries alongside the standards in order to provide guidance to the determination of the loads.