Live Loads (Imposed Loads)

IS 875 (Part 2) : 1987 · Table 1 — Imposed Floor Loads for Different Occupancies

Live loads (imposed loads) for design of floors and roofs as per IS 875 Part 2. These are minimum values — actual loads may be higher for specific uses. For seismic weight calculation, use 25–50% of live load per IS 1893.

IS 875-2 →

37 items shown

Residential

Occupancy	UDL	Conc.	Unit	Note
Dwelling houses — all rooms	2	1.8	kN/m²	Minimum for residential
Dwelling — kitchens	2	1.8	kN/m²
Dwelling — toilets & bathrooms	2	1.8	kN/m²
Dwelling — balconies	3	1.8	kN/m²	Higher for cantilever
Dwelling — corridors, stairs	3	4.5	kN/m²

Office & Business

Occupancy	UDL	Conc.	Unit	Note
Office — general	2.5	2.7	kN/m²
Office — with storage / filing	4	4.5	kN/m²	Heavy files/records
Office — computer rooms	3.5	4.5	kN/m²	Server loads
Banking halls	3	2.7	kN/m²

Educational & Institutional

Occupancy	UDL	Conc.	Unit	Note
Classrooms	3	2.7	kN/m²
Corridors, stairs (schools)	4	4.5	kN/m²	Crowd loading
Libraries — reading rooms	3	4.5	kN/m²
Libraries — stack rooms	6	4.5	kN/m²	Heavy book storage
Hospitals — wards	2	1.8	kN/m²
Hospitals — operating theatres	3	4.5	kN/m²	Equipment

Assembly & Retail

Occupancy	UDL	Conc.	Unit	Note
Assembly halls — fixed seats	4	4.5	kN/m²	Theatres, cinemas
Assembly halls — no fixed seats	5	4.5	kN/m²	Community halls
Shops — retail	4	4.5	kN/m²
Restaurants / dining halls	3	2.7	kN/m²
Hotels — guest rooms	2	1.8	kN/m²	Same as residential
Hotels — public rooms	4	4.5	kN/m²	Lobby, banquet

Industrial & Storage

Occupancy	UDL	Conc.	Unit	Note
Factories — light work	3.5	4.5	kN/m²
Factories — heavy work	5	4.5	kN/m²
Warehouses — light storage	5	4.5	kN/m²
Warehouses — heavy storage	10	9	kN/m²
Garages — light vehicles	2.5	9	kN/m²	Cars
Garages — heavy vehicles	5	9	kN/m²	Trucks
Parking — multi-storey	2.5	4.5	kN/m²

Roofs & Terraces

Occupancy	UDL	Conc.	Unit	Note
Roof — access for maintenance only	0.75	0.9	kN/m²	Not accessible
Roof — accessible (not occupancy)	1.5	1.8	kN/m²
Roof — used as garden / terrace	3	1.8	kN/m²	With soil + plants
Roof — used as assembly	5	4.5	kN/m²	Function terrace

Stairs, Corridors & Lobbies

Occupancy	UDL	Conc.	Unit
Residential stairs	3	4.5	kN/m²
Office / institutional stairs	4	4.5	kN/m²
Public stairs (assembly)	5	4.5	kN/m²
Corridors — residential	3	4.5	kN/m²
Corridors — public buildings	4	4.5	kN/m²

Notes

• UDL = uniformly distributed load; Conc = concentrated load (applied over 300×300mm area)

• Use whichever produces the worst effect (UDL or concentrated)

• For seismic weight: include 25% LL if LL ≤ 3 kN/m², 50% if LL > 3 kN/m² (IS 1893)

• Reduction for large areas: reduce LL by 5% for each 50 m² above 50 m² (max 25% reduction)

• Reduction for number of floors: 10% for 1 floor above, 20% for 2, 30% for 3, max 40%

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Live Loads (Imposed Loads)

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