In the context of balustrades, kilonewtons (kN) are used to express the load capacity or strength of the balustrade system. For example, a residential glass balustrade designed to meet UK building regulations must be able to resist a horizontal line load of 0.74 kN/m in any direction at any point along the top edge of the balustrade. This is intended to simulate the force of someone leaning against or accidentally bumping into the balustrade.
The kN unit can also be used to specify the load capacity of the fixings that secure the balustrade to the structure. For instance, a balustrade system may require stainless steel fixings with a minimum breaking load of 5 kN to ensure the stability and safety of the balustrade.