dead load

American

noun

Engineering.

load11

dead load British

noun

Also called: dead weight. the intrinsic invariable weight of a structure, such as a bridge. It may also include any permanent loads attached to the structure Compare live load

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of dead load

An Americanism dating back to 1865–70

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Can your roof support the extra dead load of the panels?

From Seattle Times

The pipeline would also be designed to withstand “earthquakes and other dynamic effects, dead loads and surges.”

From Los Angeles Times

Unlike most inaugural flights--in which rockets carry only a dead load to minimize risk -- Vega's first launch will take nine satellites into orbit.

From Scientific American

The roof was designed for a live load of 100 lb. and a dead load of 150 lb., the same as at the South Reservoir.

From Project Gutenberg

Perfect balance of the system’s dead load for any position of the cabins was, therefore, a quality inherent in its design.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023