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A 'loading dock' is an architectural fixture where trucks may be loaded and unloaded. They are commonly found on large commercial and industrial buildings.
Warehouses that handle palletized freight use a dock leveler, so items can be easily loaded and unloaded using power moving equipment (e.g. a forklift). When a truck backs into such a loading dock, the bumpers on the loading dock and the bumpers on the trailer come into contact and create a gap; also, the warehouse floor and the trailer deck may not be horizontally aligned. The most common dock height is 48” – 52”, though heights of up to 55" occur as well. A dock leveler bridges the gap between a truck and a warehouse to accommodate a forklift.
Where it is not practical to install permanent concrete loading docks, or for temporary situations, then it is common to use a mobile version of the loading dock often called a yard ramp.

''A loading dock at the New Research Building, Harvard Medical School.''

''Typical warehouse exterior showing loading docks''

''A reinforced concrete loading dock under construction.''