Minimum horizontal imposed loads for parapets, barriers and balustrades, etc

Table 4 specifies minimum horizontal imposed loads appropriate to the design of parapets, barriers,balustrades and other elements of a structure intended to retain, stop or guide people. The loads given in Table 4 should be treated as the unfactored or characteristic loads for design purposes. The uniformly distributed line load and the uniformly distributed and concentrated loads applicable to the infill are not additive and should be considered as three separate load cases. In design, the horizontal uniformly distributed line load should be considered to act at a height of 1.1m above datum level, irrespective of the actual height of the element. For this purpose, the datum level should be taken as the finished level of the access platform, or the pitch line drawn through the nosings of the stair treads.

For all types of activities given in Table 4, the parapets, barriers and balustrades should be designed for a vertical load. This vertical load should be either a concentrated load of 1 kN or a uniformly distributed load of 0.6 kN/m, whichever gives the worst design condition in combination with the recommended horizontal loading of Table 4. This combination of loads should be taken into account in the design of relevant elements of the structure that support the parapets, barriers and balustrades.

Type of occupancy
for part of the building or structure

Examples
of specific use

Horizontal uniformly distributed line load
(kN/m)

A uniformly distributed load applied to the infill
(kN/m)

A point load applied to part of the infill
(kN)

A Domestic and residential activities

(i) All areas within or serving exclusively one single family dwelling including stairs, landings, etc. but excluding external balconies and edges of roofs (see C3 ix)

0.36

0.5

0.25

(ii) Other residential, (but also see C)

0.74

1.0

0.5

B and E Offices and
work areas not included elsewhere including storage areas

(iii) Light access
stairs and gangways not more than 600 mm wide

0.22

N/A

N/A

(iv) Light
pedestrian traffic routes in industrial and storage buildings except designated escape routes

0.36

0.5

0.25

(v) Areas not
susceptible to overcrowding in office and institutional buildings also industrial and storage buildings except as given above

0.74

1.0

0.5

C Areas where people may congregate

C1/C2 Areas with
tables or fixed seating

(vi) Areas having
fixed seating within 530 mm of the barrier, balustrade or parapet

1.5

1.5

1.5

(vii) Restaurants
and bars

1.5

1.5

1.5

C3 Areas without obstacles for moving people and not susceptible to overcrowding

(viii) Stairs, landings, corridors, ramps

0.74

1.0

0.5

(ix) External
balconies and edges of roofs.

Footways and pavements within building curtilage adjacent to basement/sunken areas

0.74

1.0

0.5

C5 Areas susceptible to overcrowding

(x) Footways or pavements less than 3 m wide adjacent to sunken areas

1.5

1.5

1.5

(xi) Theatres, cinemas, discotheques, bars, auditoria, shopping malls, assembly areas, studio. Footways or pavements greater than 3 m wide adjacent to sunken areas

3.0

1.5

1.5

(xii) Grandstands and stadia

See requirements of the appropriate certifying authority

D
Retail areas

(xiii) All retail
areas including public areas of banks/building societies or betting shops. For areas where overcrowding may occur, see C5

1.5

1.5

1.5

F/G
Vehicular

(xiv) Pedestrian
areas in car parks including stairs, landings, ramps, edges or internal floors, footways, edges of roofs

1.5

1.5

1.5

(xv)
Horizontal loads imposed by vehicles

See
clause 11

Information taken from BS 6399 Loading for Buildings. We cannot be held responsible for the above. It remains for the customer to ensure all current regulations are met.

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