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Chapter 16 — STRUCTURAL DESIGN

Section 1605 — LOAD COMBINATIONS

2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) · 2025 edition · updated 2026-07-29 · California

Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.

1605.1 General.

Buildings and other structures and portions thereof shall be designed to resist the strength load combinations specified in ASCE 7, Section 2.3, the allowable stress design load combinations specified in ASCE 7, Section 2.4, or the alternative allowable stress design load combinations of Section 1605.2.

Exceptions:

  1. The modifications to load combinations of ASCE 7, Section 2.3, ASCE 7, Section 2.4 and Section 1605.2 specified in ASCE 7 Chapters 18 and 19 shall apply.

16-8 2025 CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE

on Jul 18, 2025 11:14 AM (CDT) THEREUNDER.

STRUCTURAL DESIGN

  1. Where the allowable stress design load combinations of ASCE 7, Section 2.4 are used, flat roof snow loads of 45 pounds per square foot (2.15 kN/m [2] ) and roof live loads of 30 pounds per square foot (1.44 kN/m [2] ) or less need not be combined with seismic load. Where flat roof snow loads exceed 45 pounds per square foot (2.15 kN/m [2] ), 15 percent shall be combined with seismic loads.

  2. Where the allowable stress design load combinations of ASCE 7 Section 2.4 are used, crane hook loads need not be combined with roof live loads or with more than three-fourths of the snow load or one-half of the wind loads.

  3. Where design for tornado loads is required, the alternative allowable stress design load combinations of Section 1605.2 shall not apply when tornado loads govern the design.

1605.1.1 Stability. Regardless of which load combinations are used to design for strength, where overall structure stability (such as stability against overturning, sliding, or buoyancy) is being verified, use of the load combinations specified in Section 2.3 or 2.4 of ASCE 7, and in Section 1605.2 shall be permitted. Where the load combinations specified in ASCE 7, Section 2.3 are used, strength reduction factors applicable to soil resistance shall be provided by a registered design professional. The stability of retaining walls shall be verified in accordance with Section 1807.2.3.

1605.2 Alternative allowable stress design load combinations.

In lieu of the load combinations in ASCE 7, Section 2.4, structures and portions thereof shall be permitted to be designed for the most critical effects resulting from the following combinations. Where using these alternative allowable stress load combinations that include wind or seismic loads, allowable stresses are permitted to be increased or load combinations reduced where permitted by the material chapter of this code or the referenced standards. For load combinations that include the counteracting effects of dead and wind loads, only two-thirds of the minimum dead load likely to be in place during a design wind event shall be used. Where using these alternative load combinations to evaluate sliding, overturning and soil bearing at the soil-structure interface, the reduction of foundation overturning from Section 12.13.4 in ASCE 7 shall not be used. Where using these alternative basic load combinations for proportioning foundations for loadings, which include seismic loads, the vertical seismic load effect, E v, in Equation 12.4-4 of ASCE 7 is permitted to be taken equal to zero. Where required by ASCE 7, Chapters 12, 13 and 15, the load combinations including overstrength of ASCE 7, Section 2.4.5 shall be used. [OSHPD 1R, 2 & 5] Each load combination shall be investigated with one or more of the variable loads set to zero.

Equation 16-1 D + L + ( L r or 0.7 S or R )

Equation 16-2 D + L + 0.6 W

Equation 16-3 D + L + 0.6 W + 0.7 S /2

Equation 16-4 D + L + 0.7 S + 0.6 W /2

Equation 16-5 D + L + 0.7 S + E /1.4

Equation 16-6 0.9 D + E /1.4

Exceptions:

  1. Crane hook loads need not be combined with roof live loads or with more than three-fourths of the snow load or one half of the wind load.

  2. Flat roof snow loads of 45 pounds per square foot (2.15 kN/m [2] ) or less and roof live loads of 30 pounds per square foot (1.44 kN/m [2] ) or less need not be combined with seismic loads. Where flat roof snow loads exceed 45 pounds per square foot (2.15 kN/m [2] ), 15 percent shall be combined with seismic loads.

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▸ Contents — 2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
  1. Chapter 1 — ADMINISTRATION
  2. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS
  3. Chapter 3 — OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION AND USE
  4. Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED ON OCCUPANCY A…
  5. Chapter 5 — GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
  6. Chapter 6 — TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
  7. Chapter 7 — FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES
  8. Chapter 7A — MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION METHODS FOR EXTERIOR W…
  9. Chapter 8 — INTERIOR FINISHES
  10. Chapter 9 — FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS
  11. Chapter 10 — MEANS OF EGRESS
  12. Chapter 11 — RESERVED
  13. Chapter 11A — HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY
  14. Chapter 11B — ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PUBLIC ACCOMM…
  15. Chapter 12 — INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
  16. Chapter 13 — ENERGY EFFICIENCY
  17. Chapter 14 — EXTERIOR WALLS
  18. Chapter 15 — ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES
  19. ▸ Chapter 16 — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
    Overview
    1. Section 1601 — GENERAL
    2. Section 1602 — NOTATIONS
    3. Section 1603 — CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS
    4. Section 1604 — GENERAL DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
    5. Section 1605 — LOAD COMBINATIONS
    6. Section 1606 — DEAD LOADS
    7. Section 1607 — LIVE LOADS
    8. Section 1608 — SNOW LOADS
    9. Section 1609 — WIND LOADS
    10. Section 1610 — SOIL LOADS AND HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE
    11. Section 1611 — RAIN LOADS
    12. Section 1612 — FLOOD LOADS
    13. Section 1613 — EARTHQUAKE LOADS
    14. Section 1614 — ATMOSPHERIC ICE LOADS
    15. Section 1615 — TSUNAMI LOADS
    16. Section 1616 — STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY
    17. Section 1617 — ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES …
  20. Chapter 16A — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  21. Chapter 17 — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
  22. Chapter 17A — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
  23. Chapter 18 — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
  24. Chapter 18A — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
  25. Chapter 19 — CONCRETE
  26. Chapter 19A — CONCRETE
  27. Chapter 20 — ALUMINUM
  28. Chapter 21 — MASONRY
  29. Chapter 21A — MASONRY
  30. Chapter 22 — STEEL
  31. Chapter 22A — STEEL
  32. Chapter 23 — WOOD
  33. Chapter 24 — GLASS AND GLAZING
  34. Chapter 25 — GYPSUM PANEL PRODUCTS AND PLASTER
  35. Chapter 26 — PLASTIC
  36. Chapter 27 — ELECTRICAL
  37. Chapter 28 — MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
  38. Chapter 29 — PLUMBING SYSTEMS
  39. Chapter 30 — ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
  40. Chapter 31 — SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION
  41. Chapter 31A — SYSTEMS FOR WINDOW CLEANING OR EXTERIOR BUILDING…
  42. Chapter 31B — PUBLIC POOLS
  43. Chapter 31C — RADIATION
  44. Chapter 31D — FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
  45. Chapter 31F — MARINE OIL TERMINALS
  46. Chapter 32 — ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
  47. Chapter 33 — SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
  48. Chapter 34 — RESERVED
  49. Chapter 35 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  50. Appendix A — EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS
  51. Appendix B — BOARD OF APPEALS
  52. Appendix C — GROUP U—AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS
  53. Appendix D — FIRE DISTRICTS
  54. Appendix E — RESERVED
  55. Appendix F — RODENTPROOFING
  56. Appendix G — FLOOD-RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION
  57. Appendix H — SIGNS
  58. Appendix I — PATIO COVERS
  59. Appendix J — GRADING
  60. Appendix K — GROUP R-3 AND GROUP R-3.1 OCCUPANCIES PROTECTED B…
  61. Appendix L — EARTHQUAKE RECORDING INSTRUMENTATION
  62. Appendix M — TSUNAMI-GENERATED FLOOD HAZARDS
  63. Appendix N — REPLICABLE BUILDINGS
  64. Appendix O — PERFORMANCE-BASED APPLICATION
  65. Appendix P — SLEEPING LOFTS
  66. Appendix Q — EMERGENCY HOUSING

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