Ministry of Higher Education

Kabul University
Engineering Faculty
Civil Department

Types of Structures and

Loads
Prepared By: Samim Zaki, MSCE
Date: 01 Sep 2024
 Overview
Introduction 03
Classification of Structures 04
Types of Structures 08
Loads 12
Types of Load 13
 Introduction
Structure: A structure refers to a system of connected parts used to
support a load.
When designing a structure to serve a specified function for public use,
the engineer must account for its safety, aesthetics, and serviceability,
while taking into consideration economic and environmental
constraints.
Once a preliminary design of a structure is proposed, the structure must
then be analyzed to ensure that it has its required stiffness and strength.
To analyze a structure properly, certain idealizations must be made as to
how the members are supported and connected together.
The loadings are determined from codes and local specifications, and
the forces in the members and their displacements are found using the
theory of structural analysis

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 Classification of Structures
It is important for a structural engineer to recognize the various types of elements composing a
structure and to be able to classify structures as to their form and function.
Structural Elements: Some of the more common elements from which structures are composed
are as follows:
1. Tie Rods: Structural members subjected to a tensile force are often referred to as tie rods or
bracing struts. Due to the nature of this load, these members are rather slender, and are often
chosen from rods, bars, angles, or channels.

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 Classification of Structures (Cont.…)
2. Steel Beams: Beams are usually straight horizontal members used primarily to carry vertical
loads.
Beams are primarily designed to resist bending moment; however, if they are short and carry
large loads, the internal shear force may become quite large and this force may govern their
design.

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 Classification of Structures (Cont.…)
2. Concrete Beams: These beams generally have rectangular cross sections, since it is easy to
construct this form directly in the field. Because concrete is rather weak in resisting tension, steel
“reinforcing rods” are cast into the beam within regions of the cross section subjected to tension.

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 Classification of Structures (Cont.…)
3. Columns: Members that are generally vertical and resist axial
compressive loads are referred to as columns.
Occasionally, columns are subjected to both an axial load and a bending
moment. These members are referred to as beam columns.

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 Types of Structures
Types of Structures: The combination of
structural elements and the materials from
which they are composed is referred to as
a structural system.
Each system is constructed of one or more
of four basic types of structures:
1. Trusses: When the span of a structure
is required to be large and its depth is not
an important criterion for design, a truss
may be selected.
Trusses consist of slender elements,
usually arranged in triangular fashion.

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 Types of Structures (Cont.…)
2. Cables and Arches: Two other forms of structures used to span long distances are the cable and
the arch.
The Cables are usually flexible and carry their loads in tension. They are commonly used to support
bridges and building roofs.
The Arch achieves its strength in compression, since it has a reverse curvature to that of the cable.

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 Types of Structures (Cont.…)
3. Frames: Frames are often used in buildings and are composed of beams and columns that are
either pin or fixed connected.

Types of Structures and Loads 10

 Types of Structures (Cont.…)
4. Surface Structures. A surface structure is made from a material having a very small thickness
compared to its other dimensions. Sometimes this material is very flexible and can take the form of
a tent or air-inflated structure. In both cases the material acts as a membrane that is subjected to
pure tension.

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 Loads
Once the dimensional requirements for a structure
have been defined, it becomes necessary to
determine the loads the structure must support.
Often, it is the anticipation of the various loads that
will be imposed on the structure that provides the
basic type of structure that will be chosen for
design.
Design codes provide detailed technical standards
and are used to establish the requirements for the
actual structural design. The following table shows
the list of some of the important codes used in
practice. It should be realized, however, that codes
provide only a general guide for design. The
ultimate responsibility for the design lies with the
structural engineer.
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 Types of Loads
1. Dead Loads: Dead loads consist of the weights of the various structural members and the
weights of any objects that are permanently attached to the structure. Hence, for a building, the
dead loads include the weights of the columns, beams, and girders, the floor slab, roofing, walls,
windows, plumbing, electrical fixtures, and other miscellaneous attachments.

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 Example 1.1
Example 1.1: The floor beam in the figure is used to support the 6-ft width of a lightweight plain
concrete slab having a thickness of 4 in. The slab serves as a portion of the ceiling for the floor
below, and therefore its bottom is coated with plaster. Furthermore, an 8-ft-high, 12-in.-thick
lightweight solid concrete block wall is directly over the top flange of the beam. Determine the
loading on the beam measured per foot of length of the beam.

Types of Structures and Loads 14

 Types of Load (Cont...)
2. Live Loads: Live loads can vary both in their magnitude and location. They may be caused by the
weights of objects temporarily placed on a structure, moving vehicles, or natural forces. The
minimum live loads specified in codes are determined from studying the history of their effects on
existing structures.
Various types of live loads:
• Building Loads
• Highway Bridge Loads
• Railroad Bridge Loads
• Impact Loads
• Wind Loads
• Snow Loads
• Earthquake Loads

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 THANK YOU!

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