Floor loading refers to loads transmitted through floors from which sources?

• A. The weight of the roof materials.
• B. The weight of the foundation.
• C. Loads transmitted through floors from occupants, furnishings, and equipment.
• D. The weight of HVAC ducts.

Answer: (C)

Floor loading is about the forces the floor system must carry from what happens on and above the floor. The key part here is the live load—loads generated by people, furniture, and equipment that sit on or move across the floor. These loads are transmitted through the floor framing into the structure, and they vary with occupancy and use, which is why they’re specifically accounted for in design.

The weight of roof materials, or the foundation itself, isn’t described as loads transmitted through floors in this context—they’re part of other structural considerations (dead loads from above or base reactions) and are handled through different parts of the design. HVAC ducts can contribute to dead loads, but the standard floor-loading concept centers on occupants, furnishings, and equipment—the factors that change with how a space is used.