Dead Loads are defined as?

• A. The weight of light decorative elements
• B. The weight of seasonal decorations
• C. The weight of non-structural embellishments
• D. The weight of all permanent/predictable building materials (i.e., roofs, floors, ceilings, doors, walls, windows, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, stairs)

Answer: (D)

Dead loads are the constant weight of the building itself—the mass of all permanent, fixed components that the structure must support over its life. This includes roofs, floors, ceilings, walls, doors and windows, and fixed systems like plumbing, HVAC, electrical, and stairs, basically all permanent building materials and fixed equipment. Because these elements are fixed and predictable, their weight is treated as a constant load in structural design. Live loads come from people and movable objects and can vary, while environmental loads like wind or snow change with conditions. Seasonal decorations or non-structural embellishments aren’t part of the permanent fixed mass, so they’re not dead loads.