NOTICE: Due to a lapse in annual appropriations, most of this website is not being updated. Learn more.

Form submissions will still be accepted but will not receive responses at this time. Sections of this site for programs using non-appropriated funds (such as NVLAP) or those that are excepted from the shutdown (such as CHIPS and NVD) will continue to be updated.

U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

PUBLICATIONS

Load Combination Requirements in ASCE Standard 7-10: New Developments

Published

Author(s)

Therese P. McAllister, Bruce Ellingwood

Abstract

The fundamental load combination requirements for strength design (or load and resistance factor design) appearing in Section 2.3 of ASCE Standard 7-10 advance those first developed and implemented in 1982, which since have achieved a state of maturity and acceptance in engineering practice. These new load combinations incorporate major revisions, among them the treatment of self-straining actions, fluid and soil loads, load combinations for extraordinary events, and probability-based load requirements for non-specified loads. The last item is based on suggested reliability levels for the new performance-based design procedures in the Section 1.3.1 Commentary. The Commentary to Section 2 of ASCE Standard 7-10 presents the technical basis for these changes. Since the basis of the traditional allowable stress design combinations was purely judgmental, the ASD combinations in Section 2.4 have been brought into alignment with the strength combinations in Section 2.3, which have a rational reliability basis.
Proceedings Title
Proceedings of 2011 Structures Congress
Conference Dates
April 14-16, 2011
Conference Location
Las Vegas, NV
Pub Type
Conferences

Download Paper

Local Download

Keywords

load combinations, ASCE 7-10 Standard
Building codes and standards

Citation

McAllister, T. and Ellingwood, B. (2011), Load Combination Requirements in ASCE Standard 7-10: New Developments, Proceedings of 2011 Structures Congress, Las Vegas, NV, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=907587 (Accessed October 19, 2025)

Issues

If you have any questions about this publication or are having problems accessing it, please contact [email protected].

Created April 14, 2011, Updated February 19, 2017
Was this page helpful?