LOADS — A Building’s Greatest Enemy

How Structural Engineers Fight Back

Can a severe storm and an earthquake strike at the same time?

That question leads to something central to structural engineering: which loads should we combine, and which combination governs each design check?

In our latest five-and-a-half-minute video, I use a steel warehouse with two spans and two overhead cranes to explore how engineers work through these questions.

We follow wind pressure from the building’s surfaces into its structure and foundations. We watch snow accumulate, the ground shake, and the building sway and twist. Inside, the moving cranes continually change where their loads enter the structure.

One important takeaway: there is no single “worst case” for everything.

The crane position that produces the largest bending moment may differ from the position that produces the largest support reaction. Keeping the crane rails aligned introduces another requirement: the building must remain fit for use as well as strong enough.

We also look at the probability behind load combinations, how different design frameworks handle wind and earthquake, and the balance between safety and economy.

Once we pinpoint the governing demands, we can choose appropriate members, bracing, connections and foundations—and control the movements that matter.

Pinpoint the demands. Then design with purpose.

I made this video for fellow engineers and anyone curious about how buildings cope with a lifetime of changing loads.

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