MODULE 4

VERTICAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS

STAIRS 1
WHAT IS A STAIRCASE?
A stair is a series of steps, each elevated a measured distance, leading from
one level of a structure to another.

A stair is a set of steps, leading from one floor to other , provided to afford
the means of ascent or descent between the various floors of building.

The room or enclosure of building in which the stair is located is known as

stair-case.
HISTORY OF STAIRS

The history of stairs dates back to the first human structures, which were
most likely hewn logs or flat rocks stacked for easier access to the raised
entrances of huts or even caves. As civilization and building techniques
advanced around the world, magnificent staircases took shape in ancient
Egypt and Mesopotamia.

Both interior and exterior staircases have been with us ever since.
COMPONENTS OF STAIRS
Tread :-
It is the upper horizontal portion of a step
upon which the feet is placed while
ascending or descending.

Rise:
It is the vertical distance
between two successive tread faces

Baluster :-
It is vertical member of wood or metal
supporting the hand rail.
Handrail :-
The inclined rail over the string is known as a
handrail.
Newel post :-
This is the vertical member which is placed at
the ends of flights to connect hand rail.
Soffit :-
It is the underside of a stair.

Waist :-
The thickness of structural slab in case of an R.C.C. stair is known as a waist.
Step :-
It is a portion of stair which permits ascent and
descent. It is comprised of a tread and riser.

Going :-
It is the horizontal distance between two successive
riser faces.

Nosing :-
It is the projecting part of the
tread beyond the face of the riser.
It is rounded to give good
architectural effect.
Scotia :-
It is a moulding provided under the
nosing to improve the elevation of
the step.
Flight :-
A series of steps without any platform, break or landing in their direction.

Landing :-
It is the level platform at the top or bottom of a flight between the floors.

Run :-
It is the total length of stairs in a horizontal plane, including landings.

Headroom :-
It is the minimum clear vertical distance between the tread and ceiling. A
clearance height between the pitch line of the
stair and the underside of the stairs, landings and
floors above the stair.

Pitch or Slope :-
It is the angle which the line of nosing
of the stair makes with the horizontal.

Line of nosing :-
It is an imaginary line touching of each
tread and is parallel to the slope of the stair. nosing

line of nosing
Winders :-
These are tapering steps which are
provided for changing the direction of a stair.

Strings or stringers :-
These are the sloping wooden
members which support the steps in a stair.
They run along the slope of the stair.

There are two types of string :

i) a cut or open string
ii) a closed or housed string
In the cut or open string , the upper edge is cut
away to receive the ends of steps.
In the closed or housed string, the ends of steps Winders
are housed between straight parallel edges of
the string.

stringers
Balustrade or Barrister :-
The combined framework of handrail and balusters is known as the balustrade
or barrister.

Walking line :-
The approximate line of movement of people on a stair during ascending or
descending is known as a walking line and it is situated at a distance of
about 450 mm from the centre of handrail.

Balustrade
Planning staircases - Standards, rules and regulations

Design of stairs as per the set guidelines is important for the safety purpose.

Location :

It should be so located as to provide easy access to the occupants

building.

It should be so located that it is well lighted and ventilated directly from

the exterior.

It should be so located as to have approaches convenient and

spacious.
Tread:
The minimum width of treads without nosing shall be 25 cm. for an
internal staircase for residential high-rise buildings.

In the case of other buildings, the minimum tread shall be 30 cm. The
treads shall be constructed and maintained in a manner to prevent
slipping.

For outdoor stairs, the maximum riser should be 0.15 m and the
minimum tread should be 0.30 m.

The maximum height of riser shall be 19 cm. in the case of residential

high rise buildings and 15 cm in the case of other buildings.
They shall be limited to 12 per flight.
Minimum Width Provisions for Stairways:

The following minimum width provisions shall be made for each stairway

a) i) Residential low rise building 0.9 m.

ii) Other residential building
e.g. flats, hostels, group housing, guest houses, etc 1.25 m.

b) Assembly buildings like Auditorium, theatres and cinemas 2.0 m.

c) All other buildings including hotels 1.5 m.

d) Institutional building like hospitals 2.0 m.

e) Educational building like School, Colleges. 1.5 m.

Landing:

An intermediate landing should be provided when the

stairs cover a difference in level of more than 2.50 m.

The width of landing should not be less than width of stair.

Length of flight:
The number of steps are not more than 12 and not less
than 3.

Pitch of Stair:
Pitch should be limited to 30 degree to 45degree.

Headroom:
The minimum headroom in a passage under the landing of a staircase and
under the staircase shall be 2.2 m.

Handrails :
Handrails shall be provided with a minimum height of 100 cm. from the
center of the tread.
Balustrade:
Open well stair should always be provided with balustrade, to provide safety
to users.

Nosing :
Sharp edges and overhanging nosing should not be used for treads.

Nosing should be flush or rounded and should not project more than 40 mm.

Recommended nosing types

• External exit door of staircase enclosure at ground level shall open
directly to the open spaces or can be reached without passing through
any door other than a door provided to form a draught lobby.

• The main staircase and fire escape staircase shall be continuous from
ground floor to the terrace level.

• No electrical shafts/AC ducts or gas pipe etc. shall pass through the
staircase.

• Lift shall not open in staircase landing.

• No combustible material shall be used for decoration/wall paneling in

the staircase.

• Beams/columns and other building features shall not reduce the head
room/width of the staircase.

Materials of Construction :
The materials used for stair construction should be such as to provide
a) Sufficient strength and b) fire resistance

Landings, treads and nosing should be slip-resistant and free of projections.

TYPES OF STAIRS
Stairs can be broadly classified into three types:

STRAIGHT TURNING CONTINUOUS

SINGLE FLIGHT QUARTER TURN

SPIRAL
DOUBLE FLIGHT HALF TURN
HELICAL
3 QUARTER TURN

BIFURCATED
STRAIGHT

These are the stairs along which

there is no change in direction on
any flight.

It is used where stair case hall is

long and narrow.

It may consist of one or more

flights.

PLAN

Single Flight
 PLAN

straight-stairs-with-intermediate-landing
TURNING

A) Quarter turn stairs:

• A stair turning through one right angle is known as Quarter turn stairs.
(L-shaped stair)

The change in direction can be affected by either introducing a

landing or by providing winders.

Landing

Winders
These type of stairs have clearly visible newel posts at the beginning of flight
as well as at the end. At the quarter turn, there may either be quarter space
landing or there may be winders.
B) HALF TURN
In case of half turn stairs its direction reversed, or changed for 180o

HALF TURN

DOG LEGGED STAIR OPEN NEWEL STAIR GEOMETRICAL HALF

TURN STAIRS

Dog legged stair:

It consists of two straight flights of steps with abrupt turn between them.
A level landing is placed across the two flights at the change of
direction.

• This type of stair is useful where the width of the staircase hall is just
sufficient to accommodate two width of stair.
Dog legged stair:
Open Newel stair:

In these type of stair there

is a well or opening
between the flights in plan.

• This well may be

rectangular or of any
geometrical shape and it
can be used for fixing lift.
Geometrical half turn stairs:
In case of geometrical half turn stairs the stringers and the hand rails are
continuous, without any intervening newel post.

These stairs may contains either with half space landing or without
landing.
C) 3 QUARTER TURN

The direction of stairs changed three times with its upper flight crossing the
bottom one in the case of three quarter turn stairs.

These stairs are may either be newel or open newel type.

This type stairs are generally used when the vertical distance between two
floors is more and as well as length of the stair room is limited.
3 QUARTER TURN STAIR
D) BIFURCATED

These stair are so arranged that there is a wide flight at the start which
is further sub-divided into two narrow flights at the mid-landing.

The two narrow flight starts from either side of the mid landing.
BIFURCATED STAIR
CONTINUOUS STAIR

A) Spiral Stairs

When viewed from top it appears to follow a circle with a single centre of
curvature.
The spiral stairs are provided where space available is limited and traffic is
low.
These stairs can be constructed in R.C.C., Steel or Stone
 Plan

Elevation
B) HELICAL STAIR

A large amount of steel reinforcement is used to resist the bending

moment, shear force and torsional moment.
The continuous slab varies in thickness from top to bottom- less at top
and increasing increasing at the bottom.
TYPES OF STEPS

1) Bullnose step :-
It is generally provided at the bottom of the flight ,projecting in front of the
newel post. Its end near the newel forms the quadrant of a circle.

2) Round ended step :-

A round ended step is similar to a bullnose step except that it has a semi–
circular end which projects out from the stringer.

3) Filer :-
A filer is an ordinary step of uniform width and rectangular shape in plan.
4) Commode step :-
A commode step has curved
tread and riser.

5) Dancing steps or Balancing

step:-
Dancing steps are the winders
which do not radiate from a
common centre

6) Splayed step :-
This step has one end or both
ends
splayed in plan.

7) Winders :-
Winders are tapering steps,
such as
those which radiate from a
point usually situated
at the centre of a newel post.