Engineering English
Uniformly Distributed Load
Engineering Fundamentals · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: A uniformly distributed load is a force spread evenly over a length or area of a structure. It is expressed as force per unit length or area.
Example in context
“The floor slab is subjected to a uniformly distributed load of 5 kN per square meter from occupants and furniture.”
“Döşeme, kullanıcılar ve mobilyalardan kaynaklanan metrekare başına 5 kN'luk düzgün yayılı yüke maruz kalır.”
Where engineers use it
UDL is common in floor design, snow loads, and hydrostatic pressure. Engineers convert it into equivalent point loads for simplified analysis of beams and slabs.
Synonyms: uniform load, distributed load
Antonyms: point load
Practice: can you use “Uniformly Distributed Load” at work?
A warehouse floor must support a uniformly distributed storage load of 10 kPa. Calculate the maximum moment on a 6-m span beam.
Show a model answer
“Draw the shear force diagram for a UDL on a simply supported beam.”
“Uniformly Distributed Load” in 21 languages
| English | Uniformly Distributed Load |
|---|---|
| Turkish | düzgün yayılı yük |
| French | charge uniformément répartie |
| German | gleichmäßig verteilte Last |
| Spanish | carga uniformemente distribuida |
| Chinese | 均布荷载 |
| Arabic | حمولة موزعة بشكل منتظم |
| Portuguese | carga uniformemente distribuída |
| Russian | равномерно распределенная нагрузка |
| Japanese | 等分布荷重 |
| Italian | carico uniformemente distribuito |
| Vietnamese | tải trọng phân bố đều |
| Hindi | समान रूप से वितरित भार |
| Thai | น้ำหนักบรรทุกกระจายสม่ำเสมอ |
| Indonesian | beban terdistribusi merata |
| Korean | 등분포 하중 |
| Bengali | সমানভাবে বিতরণ করা লোড |
| Dutch | gelijkmatig verdeelde belasting |
| Swedish | jämnt utbredd last |
| Finnish | tasaisesti jakautunut kuorma |
| Ukrainian | рівномірно розподілене навантаження |
Frequently asked questions
What does Uniformly Distributed Load mean in engineering?
A uniformly distributed load is a force spread evenly over a length or area of a structure. It is expressed as force per unit length or area. In Engineering Fundamentals, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Uniformly Distributed Load?
Uniformly Distributed Load is pronounced /ˈjuːnɪfɔːmli dɪˈstrɪbjʊtɪd ləʊd/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Uniformly Distributed Load used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “The floor slab is subjected to a uniformly distributed load of 5 kN per square meter from occupants and furniture.”
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