Structural Engineering · Engineering Glossary
Dead load is the permanent, static weight of all building materials and fixed equipment that a structural system must support — including the structure itself, the floor and roof deck, finishes, mechanical equipment, and partitions. Dead loads do not change over the life of the building.
Dead loads are carefully calculated by the structural engineer using material unit weights — steel is approximately 490 pcf, normal-weight concrete is 150 pcf, wood is 35–50 pcf, and gypsum board is about 2.3 psf per layer. Dead loads are combined with live loads, wind loads, seismic loads, and snow loads in the load combinations required by ASCE 7 and the IBC to determine the design forces on every structural element. Accurately estimating dead loads is important because underestimating them can lead to insufficient structural members, while significantly overestimating them increases costs. Apex Grid's structural engineers calculate dead loads for every discipline's equipment as part of integrated design coordination.
Apex Grid Engineering maintains this glossary as a resource for architects, contractors, developers, and property owners who encounter unfamiliar engineering terminology on their projects.
View All Engineering TermsApex Grid's licensed PEs provide structural engineering services across multiple jurisdictions — with fast quote turnaround and permit-ready documents.
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