Performance Criteria
Certifiers shall check that a loading assessment has been carried out and shall satisfy themselves that the correct loading parameters have been used for the design.
Background
Technical Handbook clause 1.1.1 states: ‘In order to be safe, a building should be capable of resisting all loads acting on it as a result of its intended use and geographical location’.
The Certifier must confirm that the design has accommodated appropriate dead, wind, snow, imposed loading and exceptional loads, and that loads applied to different parts of the structure by different designers are consistent throughout.
Guidance
The Technical Handbook states that: ‘The loadings to which a building will be subjected should be calculated in accordance with the appropriate Structural Eurocodes’.
Where codes other than those listed in the Technical Handbook are used the designs must be checked to see that they deliver similar levels of design reliability. Care must be exercised, particularly with withdrawn standards, in relation to wind and snow loads (actions) where the effects of climate change may render these unsafe.
The project records should include a loading summary or design input statement that demonstrates that appropriate dead, wind, imposed and exceptional loads have been applied to the design.
Where more than one designer is involved, evidence must be presented to demonstrate how consistency of design loading has been achieved.
Examples of Major Non-conformances
Absence of or grossly inadequate evidence of the Certifier’s review of the loading assessment
The loadings used in the design clearly do not meet the requirements of the Standards.
Absence of or grossly inadequate suitably checked loading calculations and/or assessment for any significant load case.
Serious inconsistencies between the loading assessment and the loadings used in the design.
Serious inconsistencies in loading between different designers.
Examples of Improvement Issues
Insufficient evidence of the Certifier’s review.
Inadequate/insufficient calculations and/or assessment.
March 2022
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