b'THE OFFICIAL NFBA MAGAZINEUNDERSTANDING DESIGN LOADS AND LOAD PATHS Many important decisions must be considered before a reliable Post-Frame building can be constructed. This article presents some essential concepts and terms regarding design loads to be understood by all project stakeholders, followed by a discussion of commonly encountered TECHNOLOGY & RESEARCHsituations and how they should be addressed during design and construction.Tim Royer, P.E Aaron Halberg, P.E.Essential Design Load Concepts and Decisions in design may be inaccurate or based on a best case Design Loads scenario.In most cases, design loads should reflect the worst case conditions a building will reasonably S tructural design loads are: forces or otherbe expected to encounter during its useful lifetime.actions that result from the weight of buildingRequired vs. Recommended vs. Desiredmaterials, occupants and their possessions, environmental effects,1 Many decisions mustThe minimum required design loads determined be made to determine the minimum designby the building code should be enforced by the loads to be used for the design of each building.Authority Having Jurisdiction (or AHJ) for a While the building designer (often an engineerparticular project.Based upon experience or or architect) may be the project stakeholderpreference, a project stakeholder may have valid most comfortable discussing the factors andreasons to choose building design loads that exceed variables involved, they should not be expectedthe minimum required loads in one or more ways. to make these decisions on their own. OtherFor example, the impacts of a building failure project stakeholders such as the building owner,may be deemed more unacceptable than building the builder, financial investors, and insurancecode minimums, so the owners more stringent underwriter should be involved in this discussiondesired values for wind and snow loads may be and provide input on the design loads to be used.used instead of the minimum required design The code and design standards include manyloads.adjustment factors which may reduce or increaseThebuilderorbuildingdesignprofessional the loads for a given project. If these adjustmentmay also have recommended design loads for factors are not understood and agreeable to alla particular project, having experiences and project stakeholders, the resulting design loads usedobservationsovermanyyearsleadingtoan 12 / FRAME BUILDER - NOV2022'