Loadburden

Loadburden is a term occasionally used in engineering discourse to denote the total effective load carried by a component, structure, or system. It is not a universally defined concept in major standards, and its precise meaning can vary by field or practitioner. In general, loadburden combines multiple categories of forces, including permanent or dead loads, variable or live loads, and dynamic or environmental loads, into a single representative value used for preliminary design or assessment.

Applications of loadburden span structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, and mechanical design. In structural contexts, the term may describe the cumulative loading path a member must resist; in geotechnical settings, it may refer to the vertical load transmitted to the foundation; in mechanical design, components must withstand the overall load under operating conditions. The concept helps integrate disparate load types into a single design consideration, while acknowledging that distribution, duration, and load pathways influence structural response and safety.

Calculation commonly follows a compositional approach: loadburden ≈ dead load + live load + environmental or dynamic loads, often with load factors to reflect safety requirements. Designers also account for load duration, fatigue, redundancy, and how loads are distributed through structural members and connections.

Limitations: because loadburden is not standardized, definitions vary and can collide with established terms such as dead load, live load, and design load. Where used, it is important to clarify the exact meaning within the relevant code or project.

See also: load, dead load, live load, dynamic load, load factor, safety factor.