Basic Loading Dock Ramp Slope

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What should the maximum loading dock ramp slope be for basic loading docks?

Basic Loading Dock Ramp Slope

According to the Whole Building Design Guide, a Web site where government and industry professionals provide guidance on building design, for a basic loading dock that includes a shipping and receiving dock for trucks and vans, a staging area, and at least one office space for dock supervisors or managers, a loading dock ramp should be provided from the loading dock down to the truck parking area to facilitate deliveries from small trucks and vans. And the maximum loading dock ramp slope should be 1:12. This does not apply to light industrial or warehouse spaces.

What does 1:12 mean, exactly? According to wheelchairramp.org, slope is the right-angle relationship of vertical height (rise) to horizontal length or projection (run). It is usually expressed as a ratio of these two measurements, with the rise figure frequently set at a unit of one. For example, a slope of 1:12 means that as each dimension unit of height changes, the other right-angle side projects out 12 units, which together result in a certain angle for the inclined, third side of the triangle. It's important to point out that the larger the run figure in a slope ratio, the gentler the angle for the inclined surface will be - a 1:16 slope, for example, is not as steep as a 1:12 slope. This fact is a source of initial confusion for many people, who conceptualize that a bigger number must mean a steeper slope.

   

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