LOAD COMBINATIONS NBCC 2015

The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) provides guidelines for load combinations in building design through the National Building Code of Canada (NBCC) and relevant CSA standards. These guidelines ensure that structures are designed to withstand various loads and forces they may encounter during their service life. The load combinations are used to account for different scenarios, including dead loads, live loads, wind loads, snow loads, and other environmental factors.

Key Standards and Guidelines:

1. National Building Code of Canada (NBCC) 2015: Provides the general framework and requirements for structural design, including load combinations.
2. CSA S16-14 (Design of Steel Structures): Specifies the design requirements for steel structures, including load combinations.
3. CSA A23.3-14 (Design of Concrete Structures): Specifies the design requirements for concrete structures.

Load Combinations: National Building Code of Canada (NBCC) 2015

The NBCC outlines various load combinations that need to be considered for both ultimate limit states (ULS) and serviceability limit states (SLS). Here are the general forms of these combinations:

Ultimate Limit States (ULS) Load Combinations:

1. Dead Load (D) + Live Load (L):

1. • D+LD + LD+L
   • 1.25D+1.5L (Commonly used)

2. Dead Load (D) + Snow Load (S):

1. • D+S
   • 1.25D+1.5S

3. Dead Load (D) + Wind Load (W):

1. • D+W
   • 0.9D+1.4W (Wind uplift scenario)

4. Dead Load (D) + Earthquake Load (E):

1. • D+ED + ED+E
   • 0.9D+1.0E (Earthquake scenario)

5. Dead Load (D) + Live Load (L) + Snow Load (S) + Wind Load (W):

1. • D+L+S
   • 1.25D+1.5L+1.5S+0.4W
   • 1.25D+1.5L+1.5S−0.4W

6. Dead Load (D) + Live Load (L) + Snow Load (S) + Earthquake Load (E):

1. • D+L+S+E
   • 1.25D+1.5L+1.5S+1.0E
   • 0.9D+1.0E

Serviceability Limit States (SLS) Load Combinations:

1. Normal Load Combination:

1. • D+L
   • D+S
   • D+L+S

2. Rare Load Combination:

1. • D+W
   • D+E

3. Frequent Load Combination:

1. • D+0.5L
   • D+0.7S

4. Load Combination for Deflection Checks:

1. • D+0.5L+0.7S

Example:

For a steel structure designed under CSA S16-14, a typical ULS load combination might look like this:

• 1.25D+1.5L+0.4W

And for SLS:

• D+L+0.5S

Notes:

• Partial Load Factors: The factors (1.25, 1.5, etc.) are applied to account for uncertainties in load estimations and material strengths.
• Serviceability: Ensure that deflections, vibrations, and other serviceability criteria are checked using the appropriate load combinations.
• Local Amendments: Be aware of any local amendments or additional requirements that may be imposed by provincial or municipal authorities.

References:

1. National Building Code of Canada (NBCC) 2015: The primary source for structural design requirements.
2. CSA S16-14 (Design of Steel Structures): Provides detailed guidance on designing steel structures.
3. CSA A23.3-14 (Design of Concrete Structures): Provides detailed guidance on designing concrete structures.

These guidelines ensure that structures are designed to be safe and serviceable under various loading conditions they may encounter during their lifespan. Always refer to the latest editions of these standards and consult with a structural engineer for specific projects.