How to Calculate the Load for a Flat Concrete Roof

Concrete structures are easy to construct, durable and are naturally insulated against both heat and sound. One consideration that must be made when using concrete as a roof material is the increased load it places on load-bearing walls. This extra weight must be accounted for during the building's design to maintain the safety of the structure. This weight is calculated from the force placed on the building due to gravity.

Instructions

- 1
  Find the volume of the concrete being used as a roof. The dimensions of the slab, height, depth and width may be measured or taken from the building plans. Once found, multiply the dimensions to derive the volume of the concrete.
- 2
  Multiply the volume of the concrete by its density. The density of the concrete, most often an average density, is obtained from the concrete supplier or general contractor. This calculation yields the mass of the concrete.
- 3
  Multiply the mass by the acceleration of gravity. For reference, the acceleration due to gravity is (9.8 meters) / (square second). The resulting figure is the force, or load, the concrete places in the downward direction.

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