Dead Load vs Live Load

Dead load is the permanent, fixed weight of the structure itself; live load (also called imposed load) is the movable, changeable load from how the building is used. Every member — a slab, a beam, a column — is designed to carry both, and telling them apart is the first step in any structural calculation.

The difference

	Dead load	Live load (imposed)
Nature	Permanent, always there	Movable, varies with use
Examples	Self-weight of RCC, walls, floor finishes, fixed plaster	People, furniture, stored goods
Code	Densities in IS 875 Part 1	Imposed values in IS 875 Part 2

Dead load examples and values

Dead load is calculated from the volume of each material and its density:

RCC: 25 kN/m³
Brick masonry: ~19–20 kN/m³
Floor finish + plaster: ~1–1.5 kN/m²
A 125 mm slab self-weight ≈ 3.1 kN/m²

Live load values (IS 875 Part 2)

Live load is taken as a uniform value per square metre for the type of space:

Residential rooms: 2 kN/m²
Balconies, staircases, corridors: 3–4 kN/m²
Accessible roof: 1.5 kN/m²

Load factors and the other loads

For strength design (limit state), loads are multiplied by a factor of 1.5 so the structure has a margin over the loads it is expected to see. Dead and live are the gravity loads; wind load (IS 875 Part 3) and earthquake load (IS 1893) are separate lateral loads a building must also resist — the reason for shear walls and ductile detailing.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between dead load and live load? Dead load is the permanent self-weight of the structure and its fixed parts; live load is the movable, variable load from occupancy and use.

What are examples of dead load? The self-weight of the RCC slabs, beams and columns, the masonry walls, floor finishes and fixed plaster.

What are examples of live load? People, furniture, stored materials and other movable loads — taken as a uniform value per square metre from IS 875 Part 2, such as 2 kN/m² for residential rooms.

Which IS code gives load values? IS 875: Part 1 for dead-load densities, Part 2 for imposed (live) loads, and Part 3 for wind; earthquake loads follow IS 1893.