MODULE 5

ES . I N
K T VERTICAL
U N O T
TRANSPORTATION

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 STAIRS ES . I N
N O T
KTU

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What is stairs ?
• “A Stair is a system of steps
by which people and objects
may pass from one level of a
building to another.”
S . I N
• A stair is to be designedNtoOTE
K T U
span large vertical distance by
dividing it into smaller vertical
distances, called steps.
• The room of the building in
which the stair is located is
known as staircase
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Technical . I N
T ES
Terms KTUN O

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1) Baluster :-
It is vertical member of wood
or metal supporting the hand rail.
2) Handrail :-
The inclined rail over the
string is known as a handrail.
ES . I N
3) Newel post :-
N O T
KTU
This is the vertical member which is placed at
the ends of flights to connect hand rail.
4) Soffit :-
It is the underside of a stair.
5) Waist :-
The thickness of structural slab in case of an R.C.C.
stair is known as a waist.
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6) Nosing :-
It is the projecting part of the
tread beyond the face of the riser.
It is rounded toE S . I N
give good
U N O T
K T
architectural effect.
7) Scotia :-
It is a moulding provided under the
nosing to improve the elevation of the step.

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8) Step :-
It is a portion of stair which permits ascent and
descent.
It is comprised of a tread and riser.
9) Tread :-
It is the upper horizontal portion of a step upon
which the feet is placed while
ascending or descending. OTE S . I N
K T U N
10) Rise :-
It is the vertical distance
between two successive tread faces.
11) Going :-
It is the horizontal distance
between two successive riser faces.
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12) Flight :-
A series of steps without any platform,
break or landing in their direction.
13) Landing :-
It is the level platform at the top or
bottom of a flight between the S .floors.
I N
N O T E
14) Run :- K T U
It is the total length
of stairs in a horizontal
plane, including landings.

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15) Headroom :-
It is the minimum clear vertical
distance between the tread and ceiling.
16) Pitch or Slope :-
It is the angle which the line of
nosing of the stair makes with the horizontal.
E S . I N
17) Riser :-
U N O T
K T
It is the vertical portion of a step
providing a support to the tread.
18) Line of nosing :-
It is an imaginary line touching
of each tread and is parallel to the slope of the stair.
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19) Winders :-
These are tapering steps which are
provided for changing the direction of a
stair.
20) Strings or stringers :-
These are the sloping wooden members
which support the steps O aE
inT S . I N
stair. They
T U N
K of the stair.
run along the slope

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Layout of Stairs
• It should be so located as to provide easy access
to the occupants of the building.
• It should be so located that it is well lighted and
ventilated directly from theE . I N
exterior.
S
U N O T
T
• It should be soKlocated as to have approaches
convenient and spacious.
• It public building it should be located near main
entrance and in residential building it should be
placed centrally.

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 Planning of stairs
1. Width
•. For residential building : 0.9 m
•. For public building : 1.5m to 1.8m
2. Number steps in a flight
•. Maximum: 12 steps
•. Minimum : 3 steps
ES . I N
N O T
3. Step dimension
KTU
•. Rise should be same for all steps
•. Rise(R) : For residential : 150 – 175 mm
For public building : 120 -150 mm
•. Tread(T) : : For residential: 250 mm
For public building : 270- 300 mm

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• Empirical formula used to determine rise and
tread
2R + T >550 but < 600 to 700
4. Head room
• should not be less than 2.1 m to 2.3m
5. Hand rail E S . I N
U N O T
T
K at a height of 850 – 900 mm
• Should be provided

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 Types of Stairs
1. Straight stair
2. Turned stair
i) Quarter Turn Stairs
S . I N
ii)Half-Turn StairsNOTE
K TU
iii)Three Quarter Turn Stairs
iv) Bifurcated stair
3. Continuous stair
i)circular or spiral stair
ii) helical stair
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 Straight
Stairs

Circular
Stairs

ES . I N
N O T
KTU Turning
Stairs

Geometri
cal Stair

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1.STRAIGHT STAIRS
• All steps lead in one direction.
• Simplest form of stair arrangement.
• It may consist of one or two flights.
• They are used when space S.IN Elevation
N O T E
K T U
available for staircase is long
but narrow in width.

Plan
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•The width and the length of the landings should be
equal.

ES . I N
N O T
KTU

Straight-stairs-with-intermediate-landing
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2. Turning Stairs
1. Quarter Turn Stairs
2. Half-Turn Stairs
3. Three Quarter Turn Stairs
4. Bifurcated stair S.IN
O T E
K TUN

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1. Quarter turn stairs:
•. A stair turning through one right angle is known as
Quarter turn stairs. (L-shaped stair)
•. Change it direction either to the left or to the right
•. Turn being affected either by introducing quarter
space landing or by providingSwinders
E . I N
N
Quarter stairs are 2 types
U O T
i) Newel quarter
T
K turn:
•) Have conspicuous newel post at the beginning and
end of each flight
•) Quarter there may be either quarter space landing or
may be winders

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•This staircase has either equal or unequal flights.

ES . I N
N O T
KTU

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ii) Geometrical quarter turn:
• Stringer as well as the hand rail is continuous
with no newel post at landing

ES . I N
N O T
KTU

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2. Half Turn Stairs:
•A stair turning through reversed direction or changed for 180°
•A half turn stair may be :
i) Dog-legged stair
ii) Open newel half turn
iii) Geometrical half turn
i) DOG-LEGGED STAIR I N
T E
•Name is given because of its appearanceS . in sectional elevation
N O
KTaUhalf space landing between them and
•Two short flights with
newel posts are provided at the beginning and end of each
flight.
•The flights run in opposite directions and there is no space
between outer string of the two flights
•This stairs are useful where total width of space available for
the staircase is equal to twice the width of steps.
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 ES . I N
N O T
KTU

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ii) OPEN NEWEL STAIR
•Space between the upper and lower flights causes half
space landing to be longer.
•There is a well or opening between the outer string.
•Space between the 2 strings may be vary from 15 cm to
100 cm
E S . I N
•When space left is more  small
N O T flight containing 2-4 steps
KTU quarter space landing
introduced at the between
•This well may be rectangular or of any geometrical shape
and it can be used for fixing lift.
•These staircase are useful where available space for
staircase has a width greater than twice the width of steps.

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 ES . I N
N O T
KTU

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 iii) Geometrical half turn stair

• Stringers and hand rails are continuous

without any intervening newel post
• May be either with half space landing or
without landing S . I N
T U OTE
N
K

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3. Three quarter turn Stair
•A stair turning through three right angles is known as a
three quarter stair.
•In this case ,an open well is formed. This types of stair is
used when the length of the staircase is limited and when
the vertical distance between the two floor is quite large.

ES . I N
N O T
KTU

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 4. Bifurcated stair
• If a quarter turn stair is branched into two
flights at a landing
• commonly used in the public buildings
near the entrance hall .
• The stair has a wider flightE at
S . I N
bottom which
N O T
U narrower flights at the
bifurcates intoKTtwo
landing.

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 3. Continuous stairs
• Neither have any landing nor any intermediate
newel post
Types:
i) Circular or spiral N
stair ES . I N
U O T
K
ii) Helical stair
T

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i) spiral or circular stair
• The steps radiate from the center and they do not
have either any landing or any intermediate newel
post
• Some of the important facts to be noted in
connection with the circular Estairs
S . I N
are:
U N O T
KTwinders
1. flights consist of only and may be
continued through any number of turns.
2. may be constructed of a cast iron or mild steel or
concrete. Usually its structural design and
construction of are complicated in nature.
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 ES . I N
N O T
KTU

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3. For concrete spiral stairs, the steel
reinforcement is heavy and formwork is
complicated. These make the concrete spiral
stairs expensive.
4. The core of spiral stair may be solid or hollow
and the stair may be provided
E S . I N
with cut or
N O T
KTU
closed strings.
5. The spiral stairs are useful where the space
available is limited and where the traffic is
less. Eg., shops

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ii) Helical stair
• Looks very fine but its structural design and
construction is very complicated
• It is made up of RCC in which a larger portion of
steel is required to resist bending, shear, and torsion
• Because of its shape, it is possible. I to build two
N
helical staircases while O T E S
occupying the same vertical
K T U N
space, allowing two persons access to a staircase at
the same time.
• Fire escapes are a good example displaying the use
of a double helix stair.

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 ES . I N
N O T
KTU

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Stairs of diff.
Materials

E S . I N
U N O
Stone T
Stairs
R.C.C. K T Timber
Stairs Stairs

Metal
Brick
Stairs
Stairs
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1.BRICK STAIRS

• not frequently used.

• may be built of solid masonry construction or arches may be
provided in a lower portion.
• When arches are provided, the total masonry work is
ES . I N
reduced and cupboards may be provided in this hollow
N O T
space. KTU
• Treads are generally made equal to length 1.50 bricks and
risers with the layers of 2 brick respectively.
• The treads and risers are finished with suitable flooring
material.

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A brick stairs may be made of solid
construction or arches may be
provided(as shown in fig.).

Arches

ES . I N
N O T
KTU

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 ES . I N
N O T
KTU

Built-up steps…
stone is placed
above to give
additional touch
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2. METAL STAIRS

• The external fire-escape stairs are generally

made of metal.
• The common metals used are cast iron, bronze
and mild steel. E S . I N
U N O T
• used only as K T
emergency stair and not common
in residential and public building.
• mostly used in factories, godowns, workshops
etc.

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The important features of metal stairs:
1. stringers are usually of channel section.
2. tread and riser of a step may be of one unit as
shown in figure.

ES . I N
N O T
KTU

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3. The tread and riser of a step may be of
separate units as shown in fig.

ES . I N
N O T
KTU

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 ES . I N
N O T
KTU

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(4) The treads and risers are supported on the
angles which are connected to the stringers.
(5) The risers may be totally omitted in some
cases.
(6) The spiral stairs of E S
cast-iron. I N
consist of a cast-
U N O T
iron newel K T
fixed in the centre around which
the cast-iron steps are fixed.
(7) For metal stairs the metal balusters with
handrail of pipe are used.

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 ES . I N
N O T
KTU

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 ES . I N
N O T
KTU

Contemporary Metal Staircase

Design
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3. R.C.C. STAIRS
• commonly used in all type of constructions for
residential, public, and industrial buildings ,in case of
framed structures, R.C.C. stairs is perhaps only
choice.
• are very good fire resistance. N
T E S . I
• can be easily moulded
T U N toOthe desired shape.
K
• steps can be provided with suitable finishing material
such as marble, tile, etc.
• can be easily maintained clean and they are strong,
durable and pleasing in appearance.
• can also be easily rendered non-slippery and can be
designed for greater width and longer shapes.
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A typical R.C.C. stairs is shown in fig.

ES . I N
N O T
KTU

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 Precast R.C.C. Stairs

• The detail and placing of reinforcement will

naturally depend on the design of R.C.C. Stair.
• The steps may be cast-in-situ or pre-cast.

ES . I N
N O T
KTU

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In the later case, it is also possible to pre-cast a
flight and then place it in position with the
help of suitable equipment.

ES . I N
N O T
KTU

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 ES . I N
N O T
KTU

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 4.TIMBER STAIR

•Cheap, light in weight, easy to construct &

maintenance mostly used for residential
buildings.
•Problem occurs during fire because occupants of
E S . I N
upper floors cannot escape
U N O Tbut if stair is
K T
constructed from good quality timber like oak,
teak, mahogany, etc. using min. thickness of 5cm,
to serve the requirements of a fire-resisting stair to
a great extent.

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• The imp factors to be considered in case of a wooden stair
are as follows :
1. The joints connecting risers & treads are nailed or screwed.
2. Stringers may be a cut/open string or close string.
3. Scotia blocks gives an additional finish to a wooden step if
provided.
4. A metal strip may be provided on the nosing of a wooden
E S . I N
step to increase its resistance
U N O Tagainst wear & tear.
T
5. Small triangularKwooden blocks, known as glue blocks,
may be provided at the inner angle formed b/w a tread &
riser gives an additional touch, placed at abt 80mm
distance.
6. In some cases, the risers may be totally omitted. The treads
are housed in the strings & the soffit is covered with
wooden battens or metal sheets.
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 ES . I N
N O T
KTU

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Contemporary Timber Staircase
design

ES . I N
N O T
KTU

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5.STONE STAIRS

•Stones should be hard & non-absorbent.

•Possess enough resistance to the action of fire.
•Mostly used for warehouses, workshops & other public
buildings.
S . I N
Eare easily available,
•Widely used where ashlarNstones
U O T
K T
•Restricted in residential buildings to outside stairs. Being
heavy in weight, stone stairs require stable support to avoid
the danger of damage due to settlement of supporting walls.

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 ES . I N
N O T
KTU

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6.Glass Stairs

ES . I N
N O T
KTU

Cantilever Stairs Straight

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Staircases can be used in diff.
ways too….

ES . I N
N O T
KTU

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