Unit 2 Lesson 2 Lateral Loads

UNIT 2 Lesson 2 – LATERAL LOADS
Lateral loading is the continuous and repeated application of a load on an

object or structural component in a horizontal direction or parallel to the x-
axis. Lateral loading can cause a material to shear or bend in the direction of the
force and ultimately lead to the failure of the material
Lateral loading causes materials to deteriorate due to shearing. Therefore, the

shearing effect on the material is appropriately defined as the force that tends to
slide the material along a plane that is parallel to the direction of lateral force or
lateral loading, resulting in the weakening of the material.
A material experiencing lateral loading and exposed to a corrosive environment

may result in a corrosion failure. The corrosion process begins by weakening the
protective top layers, and the repeated horizontal forces, pressures (e.g., due to
wind, earthquake, etc.) and strain acting on the material increases the corrosion
rate.
The lateral loads that are applied to structures include

 Wind,
 Seismic and
 Earth loads.
These loads act in the direction perpendicular to the buildings wall and
roof systems. Lateral loads on a building are usually resisted by walls
and bracing. When you see large steel X’s in the windows or exposed
elsewhere in a building, this is often one of the elements used to resist
lateral loads imposed on the structure.
Wind loads can be applied towards a surface of a building/structure but it

can also be applied away from the building causing a suction force.
These are called positive and negative pressures. Wind loads on a
structure get greater the higher they are applied to a structure. On a high-
rise building, the wind pressures are significantly higher at the peak of
the structure compared to at the ground level. If you have ever been
outside during an intense wind storm you can understand how large these
wind forces can be and why it is so important to design a structure to
resist these loads.
Wind against a building builds up a positive pressure on the windward side and a
negative pressure (or suction) on the leeward side. Depending upon the shape of
the structure it may also cause a negative pressure on the side walls or even the
roof. The pressure on the walls and roof is not uniform, but varies across the
surface. Winds can apply loads to structures from unexpected directions. Thus, a
designer must be well aware of the dangers implied by this lateral load. The
magnitude of the pressure that acts upon the surfaces is proportional to the
square of the wind speed.
Wind loads vary around the world. Meteorological data collected by national
weather services are one of the most reliable sources of wind data. Factors that
effects the wind load include the geographic location, elevation, degree of
exposure, relationship to nearby structures, building height and size, direction of
prevailing winds, velocity of prevailing winds and positive or negative pressures
due to architectural design features (atriums, entrances, or other openings). All of
these factors are taken into account when the lateral loads on the facades are
calculated. It is often necessary to examine more than one wind load case.
For uniformity it will be assumed that wind loads, as well as the pressure they
develop upon wall and roof elements, are static and uniform. They actually not
only pound a structure with a constantly oscillating force, but also increase as a
building increase in height. The loading of a tower can be very roughly
approximated by an evenly distributed load. It is a vertical cantilever. The applet
below allows you to investigate the variables which influence the structural
behavior of a tall, thin tower. It does not represent actual methods of calculating
the total wind force on a tall building. It is intended to demonstrate the interaction
between the variables of the equations which govern the structural behavior.
Earthquakes are what cause seismic loading on a structure. Seismic
loads used in designing structures vary depending on where the structure
is relative to seismic zones and the potential for earthquakes. Seismic
loading is much more of a concern and the additional structural elements
required to resist these loads can be extensive. The magnitude of seismic
loads when an earthquake occurs is directly related to the weight of the
building. Buildings with heavy materials such as concrete will have to be
designed for greater seismic loading compared to a light framed steel
structure.
Earthquake loads are another lateral live load. They are very complex, uncertain,
and potentially more damaging than wind loads. It is quite fortunate that they do
not occur frequently. The earthquake creates ground movements that can be
categorized as a "shake," "rattle," and a "roll." Every structure in an earthquake
zone must be able to withstand all three of these loadings of different intensities.
Although the ground under a structure may shift in any direction, only the
horizontal components of this movement are usually considered critical in a
structural analysis. It is assumed that a load-bearing structure which supports
properly calculated design loads for vertical dead and live loads are adequate for
the vertical component of the earthquake. The "static equivalent load" method is
used to design most small and moderate-sized buildings.
The lateral load resisting systems for earthquake loads are similar to those for
wind loads. Both are designed as if they are horizontally applied to the structural
system. The wind load is considered to be more of a constant force while the
earthquake load is almost instantaneous. The wind load is an external force, the
magnitude of which depends upon the height of the building, the velocity of the
wind and the amount of surface area that the wind "attacks." The magnitude
earthquake load depends upon the mass of the structure, the stiffness of the
structural system and the acceleration of the surface of the earth. It can be seen
that the application of these two types of loads is very different.
Earth loads occur when soil is built up against a wall causing lateral
earth pressures. These loads can be seen on basement foundation walls,
retaining walls and tunnels. The magnitude of this lateral load is
dependent on the type of soil built up against the structure and the depth
of the soil. A house with a very high basement would likely have
foundations walls that would have to resist high lateral loading from the
soil built up against it if the basement was fully underground. This can be
one of the causes of cracking seen in basement walls if the wall was not
built strong enough to resist these lateral loads.
If water is allowed to build up against a wall, lateral loads from

hydrostatic pressure would need to be designed for. Installing a weeping
tile system is a way to prevent water from building up against a basement
wall.
Water/Liquids produce horizontal loads in many structures. The horizontal

pressure of a liquid increases linearly with depth and is proportional to the
density of the liquid. This is similar for earth pressures. These last are a bit more
complex in that the load due to earth pressure varies with its depth, any
surcharge, the type of soil and its moisture content. The design live load for this
soil pressure must not be less than that which would be caused by a fluid
weighing 30 pcf.
Most lateral loads vary in intensity depending on the building's geographic
location, structural materials, height and shape. The dynamic effects of wind and
earthquake loads are usually analyzed as an equivalent static load in most small
and moderate-sized buildings.
A notional load is a fictitious lateral load applied in a structural analysis as a

means to account for the destabilizing effects of gravity loads that are not
otherwise accounted
Notional loads are horizontal forces added to the structure to account for the
effects of geometric imperfections.

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UNIT 2 Lesson 2 – LATERAL LOADS

Lateral loading is the continuous and repeated application of a load on an

Lateral loading causes materials to deteriorate due to shearing. Therefore, the

A material experiencing lateral loading and exposed to a corrosive environment

The lateral loads that are applied to structures include

Wind loads can be applied towards a surface of a building/structure but it

If water is allowed to build up against a wall, lateral loads from

Water/Liquids produce horizontal loads in many structures. The horizontal

A notional load is a fictitious lateral load applied in a structural analysis as a

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