live load

American  

[lahyv] / laɪv /

noun

Engineering.

1. load11

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live load British  

/ laɪv /

noun

1. Also called: superload.  a variable weight on a structure, such as moving traffic on a bridge Compare dead load

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Etymology

Origin of live load

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

Drive to a shipper or receiver and either "drop and hook" or "live load" or "live unload".

From The Guardian • Jul. 11, 2013

The legs are like towers at each end of a bridge, the backbone is an arched cantilever system suspended from the towers, the chest and abdomen constitute the "live load."

From Time Magazine Archive

And that did not include the 200,000 pounds of additional live load that would be added as passengers filled the cars.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

The roof was designed for a live load of 100 lb. and a dead load of 150 lb., the same as at the South Reservoir.

From ASCE 1193: The Water-Works and Sewerage of Monterrey, N. L., Mexico The 4th article from the June, 1911, Volume LXXII, Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Paper No. 1193, Feb. 1, 1911. by Conway, George Robert Graham

The long unbraced ties vibrated considerably, and evidently got slack during a part of the time that the live load was passing over the bridge.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 483, April 4, 1885 by Various