Any questions ???

STAIRS

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 Stages of building construction
1. Preliminary works
2. Foundations
3. Ground floors
4. Frames and upper floors

5. Stairs
6. Roofs
7. Walls and partitions with doors and windows
8. Mechanical and electrical works
9. Internal and external wall, floor and ceiling finishes
10. External works

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For access between different floors in a building,
a ramp, ladder or stair can be used.

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Lifts and escalators are also used for vertical circulation.

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Stair lifts

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What To Learn Today?
❖Definition, functions and functional requirements of stairs
❖Stair terminology
❖Types of stair design
❖Drawings for stairs
❖Reinforced concrete stairs

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What is “Stair”?
A stair is an important component of a building providing
access to different floors of the building.
The room or enclosure of the building, in which the stair is
located is known as staircase.
The opening or space occupied by the stair is known as a
stairway.

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The functions of a stair:
◦ To allow vertical
movement safely from
one level to another
◦ To provide a suitable
means of escape in event
of fire
◦ To provide a degree of
sound insulation

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The functional requirements of a stair include:
◦ Strength
◦ Stability
◦ Durability
◦ Sound insulation
◦ Fire resistance
◦ Aesthetics
◦ Safety in use

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Steep vs. shallow stairs

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 Staircase for Sarawak long house
Staircase that lead to
long house in Sarawak,
it has been carved from
a timber log only.

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 BTBE1083
Building
Construction
Technology
LECTURE 5: STAIRS
STAIR TERMINOLOGY

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Design of stairs
Types of stairs used in building construction is broadly
based on the shape of the stairs.
Stairs can be broadly classified into 3 types:
1. Straight stairs
2. Turning stairs
3. Continuous stairs

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1. Straight stair
All steps lead in
one direction with
or without an
intermediate
landing.
The most simple
and economical
use of stair.
Staircase layout plan

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 2. Turning stairs
Turning stairs are sub classified as:
❖Quarter turn stairs
❖Half turn stairs
❖Three-quarter turn stairs
❖Bifurcated stairs

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2a. Quarter turn stair
A stair rises to a landing
between two floors,
turns through 90°, and
then rises to the floor
above.
Offering great economy
in compact planning.
The landing is
described as a quarter
space or quarter turn Staircase layout plan
landing.

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2a. Quarter turn stair
As the stairs make
a 90-degree turn
at some point,
going left or right
after a landing,
hence they are
also called as L-
stair.

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2a. Quarter turn stair
The quarter space or
quarter turn landing
was often replaced
with tapered steps or
winders to further
economise the use of
space.

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2b. Half turn stair
The most common
arrangement of stairs.
A stair rises to a landing
between floors, turns
through 180°, and then rises
parallel to the lower flight to
the floor above.
The landing is described as a
half space or half turn
landing. Staircase layout plan

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2b. Half turn stair
A stair rises to a landing between floors, turns through 180°,
and then rises parallel to the lower flight to the floor above.
The landing is described as a half space or half turn landing.
Often described as a “dog leg” stair because it looks
somewhat like the hind leg of a dog.
The most common arrangement of stairs.
The bend is taken even further to form a full U shape, and
similar to the L-shaped staircase, a landing separates the
two parallel flights.

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2c. Three-quarter turn stairs
These types of stairs change their directions through 270°.
In other words direction is changed three times with its
upper flight crossing the bottom one.

It is normally used when height is more but length is

limited.

In this type of construction an open well is formed. Some

flights may have very few risers (only 3 - 4).

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2d. Bifurcated stair
Bifurcated stairs are so arranged that there is a wide flight
at the start which is subdivided into narrow flights at the
mid-landing. The two narrow flights start from either side
of mid landing.

Generally these stairs are more suitable for modern public

buildings.

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3. Continuous stairs
This type of stairs are continuous without any landing slab.
They are geometric in shape, hence they are also known as
geometrical stairs.
These are may be of following types:
➢Circular stairs
➢Helical stairs

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3a. Circular stair
Also known as spiral stair.
It requires a fixed central
column with the treads
tapering to a central vertical
support.
These stairs, when viewed
from above, appear to follow
circle shape.
All the steps radiate from a
newel post in the form of
winders.

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Staircase layout plans
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3b. Helical stair
Unlike circular staircases, helical stairs do not need to be
circular in shape and can instead be constructed in wide
elliptical or oval shapes.
Hence, they are also known as curved stair or elliptical stair.
It is constructed around a generous open well with the
treads having a shallow taper towards the well.
Extravagant in the use of space.
Used as a feature for grand means of access in large
buildings.

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Staircase layout plans

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Add-on design: Stairwell
Stairs are sometimes described as open well stairs, which
refers to a space or well between the flights.
As the term “open well” does not describe the arrangement
of the flights of steps in a stair, it should only be used in
conjunction with the more precise description of quarter or
half turn stair.
E.g. quarter turn stair with open well, half turn stair with
open well.

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Staircase layout plans

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Add-on design: Steps
Stairs can be designed with
parallel or tapered steps.
Sometimes tapered steps or
winders are included into a
stair designed with parallel
steps.
A set of winders—treads
that are wider on one side
than the other—takes the
place of the landing to save Staircase layout plans
space.

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Add-on design: Steps
They are frequently used by
designers to economise
space, which do not need a
landing and use less space.
However, they are more
dangerous to use because the
reduction in the inner edge
makes walking difficult.
Not recommended for use in
means of escape stairs or
stairs in public buildings.

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Disadvantages of tapered steps are:
◦ Hazard to the aged and very young because of the very
small tread length at or near the newel post.
◦ Difficult to carpet, requiring many folds or wasteful
cutting.
◦ Difficult to negotiate with furniture due to a rapid rise on
the turn.
◦ Difficult and expensive to construct.

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Add-on design: Steps
Moreover, stairs can be designed with enclosed steps or
open riser steps:

Enclosed steps
◦ A stair which is constructed with a vertical riser between
the horizontal treads.
Open riser steps
◦ A stair which is constructed without a vertical riser
between the horizontal treads.

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 BTBE1083
Building
Construction
Technology
LECTURE 5: STAIRS
REINFORCED CONCRETE STAIRS

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Concrete, metal, timber, stone and, more recently, structural
glass are the main materials used in the construction of stairs.

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RC Stairs
The structure of stairs must be constructed of non-
combustible materials, but combustible materials are
allowed to be used as finishes to the upper surface of the
stairway or landing.
RC stairs are non-combustible with high degree of fire
resistance, strong and hard wearing.
Many variations of plan layout and spanning direction are
possible.
Thus RC stairs are widely used in all types of buildings.

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RC Stairs
They may be cast in-situ or precast in sections ready for
immediate installation and use when delivered to site.
The use of cranes on construction sites enable the large
precast concrete flight arrangements.

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Cast in-situ concrete stairs
RC stairs are cast after the upper floors construction.
Construction sequence of a RC cast in-situ stair:

1. Assembling of formwork
2. Positioning of reinforcement
3. Placing of concrete
4. Removal of formwork
5. Laying of finishes
6. Fixing of balustrades and handrails

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VIDEO
RC staircase
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pctgbruXA8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEZok59IaZY

Animated version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXKQPlZeEeY

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Formwork for RC cast in-situ stairs
Stair profile is built from an adequately supported soffit
board at the bottom with cut strings or wall boards at the
two sides.
Riser boards are used to form the steps.
Carriages and joists with steel or timber propping are used
to support the soffit board at the bottom.
Struts are used to hold the cut strings or wall boards at the
two sides.
Brackets and intermediate supports are used to hold the
riser boards in position while casting the concrete.

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Formwork for RC cast in-situ stairs

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Formwork for RC cast in-situ stairs

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Reinforcement for RC cast in-situ
stairs
The reinforcement has to have a cover of concrete around it
to inhibit rust and to protect steel bars from fire.
High tensile steel and mild steel bars are used to reinforce
the concrete stairs.
The reinforcement of landings is main bars in both ways
across the bottom of the landing slab.
The reinforcement of flights is main bars one way down the
flights with distribution bars in another way.

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Concrete for RC cast in-situ stairs
Concrete specification should be very strong, otherwise
concrete will flow over the formwork riser boards.
Concrete mix usually specified as 1:1.5:3 to 1:1:2/20mm
aggregate to achieve the concrete strength of 25 to 30
N/mm2 at 28 days.
Thickness of concrete stair slab required is dependent on
the loading and span, it is measured across the waist, which
is the distance from the soffit of stair to the intersection of
tread and riser.

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Waist thickness usually between 100 and 250mm
depending on stair type.

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Finishes for RC cast in-situ stairs
A wide variety of finishes can be applied to RC stairs.
If the appearance is not important, such as external stairs, a
natural finish of cement render can be used. Alternatively,
finishes such as tiles, timber flooring and the like can be
used to create a surface that is more attractive and easy to
clean. Non-slip nosings can be fixed or cast into the leading
edges of the treads.
Soffits can be finished with a coat of spray plaster or a skim
coat of finishing plaster. Balustrades and handrails must be
constructed of non-combustible material, continuous and
to one or both sides of the stairs.

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Finishes for RC cast in-situ stairs

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Precast concrete stairs
Design considerations for precast concrete stairs are the
same as those for cast in-situ concrete stairs. However, the
fixing and support require a different approach.
Delivery of precast concrete stairs should be arranged so
that they can be lifted, positioned and fixed direct from the
delivery vehicle, thus avoiding double handling.
Flights are lifted from the correct lifting points, which may
be in the form of loops or hooks projecting from or
recessed into the precast concrete member to avoid
damage due to unacceptable stresses during lifting.

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Lifting of precast concrete stair

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Precast concrete stairs
Bearings for the ends of flights must be provided at the floor
or landing levels in the form of a haunch, rebate or bracket.
Continuity of reinforcement can be achieved by leaving
projecting bars and slots in the floor into which they can be
grouted.
Any surface finish that is acceptable for a cast in-situ
concrete stair will also be suitable for the precast concrete
stair.
Balustrade and handrail requirements, and the various
methods of fixing, are as described for cast in-situ concrete
stairs.

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Fixing of precast concrete stair

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Any questions ???

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