What is a static load?

A static load, also called a fixed load, is constant and does not vary over time. To consider a load to be static, it must have a magnitude, direction, and location that do not change.

What types of static charges are there?

Static loads can be:

• Permanent: structural loads or dead loads. These are made up of all the structural and non-structural elements of a building – that is, their own weight.
• Settlement: occurs when the weight of the structure causes the soil to sink under it. This can cause the differential settlement of the structure; that is, there is a difference between the support point of one part of the structure and another. These differences should be bridged by the foundations, and they shouldn’t cause any structural problems.
• Accidental: those that derive from the use of the structure, as well as from the climatic conditions where it is located. Some of these are:
  • Live load.
  • Environmental loads related to the rain and snow (but not wind and seismic movements, which are considered dynamic loads.)

The deformation of structures under static loads reaches its zenith when the static force is at its maximum.

What is applied statics?

It’s the branch of mechanics that studies the balance of rigid bodies. This discipline is essential for structural analysis in Civil Engineering.

What is the difference between a static load and a dynamic load?

Static loads can be considered constant throughout the life of a structure, while dynamic loads arise in a sudden way, and their characteristics vary every time they occur, even within the same occurrence.

Dynamic loads generate shaking and vibrations in structures, unlike static loads, which remain constant or appear and disappear slowly and gradually, without rapid variation in their magnitude.
Some examples of dynamic loads are the effect of wind and seismic movements.