Chapter 5 - Building

Elements
1
Course: Building Construction
Course Code: CEng-3207
Program: Architecture (regular)
Credit Hours: 3
Lecture: 1hrs/wk
Lab: 6 hr/wk
Course Instructor: Abdissa G.
2
5.4 Stair
3 Presentation Outline
q Introduction
q Technical terminologies
q Classification of stairs

q Stairs of different materials

q Essential requirements of a good stair
q Ladders q Elevators
q Ramps q Escalators
4 Introduction
q Access in buildings can be classified into categories:
Ø Moving
Ø Stationary
I. Moving
q An elevator, escalator, a staircase or a belt that moves by using different kinds
of electrical or hydraulic driving motors. For example:
Ø An elevator or lift
Ø Escalator
Ø Conveyor
Ø For the case of handicaps there are moving chairs
5 Introduction (CoNT...)
II. Stationary
q Most widely used access in buildings. There is no any motor that drive the
system, rather it is fixed.
Ø Stairs,
Ø Different kinds of ladders,
Ø Ramps, Corridors.
q Stairs are set of steps leading from one
floor to another and are provided in building
to afford a means of communication between the various floors.
q Steps arranged in series and placed in an enclosure is called Stair Case.
6 Introduction (CoNT...)

q Stairs should be designed properly to

provide proper:
Ø Ventilation
Ø Light (Natural)
Ø Location: Near Main Entrance for
Public Buildings and Centrally for
easy access and privacy in Residential Buildings.
7 Introduction (CoNT...)
Primary Functions of Stair
Ø Provide a means of
circulation between floor levels.
Ø Establish a safe means of travel
between floor levels.
Ø Provide an easy means of travel
between floor levels.
Ø Provide a means of conveying fittings
and furniture between floor levels.
 8
Technical Terminologies
q Step: is a portion of stair which permits ascent or descent.

Ø It is comprised of a tread and a riser. A stair is composed of a set of steps.

q Tread: is the horizontal member of stair.

Ø The tread of public buildings must be wide enough to provide safe footing.

q Going: is the horizontal distance b/n the nosings or front edges of two consecutive
steps.

Ø It is usually 30cm for public buildings so that it is wide enough to provide safe
footings.

q Riser: is the vertical member of a stair.

 9 Technical Terminologies (CoNT...)

q Rise: Is the vertical distance b/n the upper surface of two consecutive steps.

Ø The rise of public building is about 15cm while a higher value can be used for
private buildings.

q Nosing: it is the projecting part of the tread beyond the face of the riser.

Ø It is usually rounded off from the architectural point of view.

q Flight: is a continuous set of steps b/n floors and/or landing.

q Landing: is a platform b/n two flights.

q Baluster: is the vertical member which supports the hand rail. The combined
framework of hand rail and baluster is known as balustrade.
10 Technical Terminologies (CoNT...)
q String or stringer: is the structural member which supports the steps and act as
inclined beams.

q Hand rail: is a rounded or molded member of wood or metal fixed on the top of
balusters.

q Head room: is the minimum clear vertical distance b/n the tread and overhead
structure.

q Soffit: It is the under side of the stair

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

q Newel post: Is the vertical member which is placed at the ends of flight to connect
the end stings and handrail.
11 Technical Terminologies (CoNT...)

q Winders: are tapering steps which are provided for changing the direction of
stair
12 Classifications of Stair
q Stairs can be classified into two broad heads:

q Each of the turning stairs are of

the three types:

Ø Newel stairs

Ø Well or open-newel stairs, and

Ø Geometrical stairs
13 Classifications of Stair (CoNT...)
q Straight stairs: this stairs runs straight b/n the two floors.

Ø It is used for small houses where there are

restrictions in available width.

Ø The stair may consist of either one single

flight or more than one flight (usually two) with a

landing.
14 Classifications of Stair (CoNT...)

q Quarter turn stairs: is the one which changes its direction either to the left or to
the right.

Ø The turn being affected either by introducing a quarter space landing or by

providing winders.

Ø Quarter turn stairs are of two types:

A. Newel quarter turn stairs

Ø These stairs have the conspicuous newel posts at the beginning and end of each
flight.

Ø At the quarter turn, there may either be quarter space landing or there may be
winders
15 Classifications of Stair (CoNT...)

Newel quarter turn stairs

16 Classifications of Stair (CoNT...)

B. Geometrical quarter turn stairs

q The stringer as well as the hand rail
is continuous, with no newel post at the landing
17 Classifications of Stair (CoNT...)

q Half turn stairs: is the one which has its direction reversed or changed for
180°.
Ø Such stairs are quite common.
Ø Half turn stairs are of three types:
A. Dog-legged or newel half turn stairs.
B. Open newel half turn stairs.
C. Geometrical half turn stairs.
Dog-legged stairs
Ø The name is given because of its appearance in sectional elevation.
Ø It comes under the category of newel stairs in which newel posts are
provided at the beginning and end of each flight.
18 Classifications of Stair (CoNT...)

q These may be of two types:

Ø With half space landing
Ø With quarter space landing and winders
 19 Classifications of Stair (CoNT...)

Open newel half turn stair

q Has a space or well between the outer strings. This is the only aspect in which it
differs from the dog legged stairs.
q Additional width is required b/n the two flights. When the space provided is more,
a small flight containing two to four steps may be introduced.
20 Classifications of Stair (CoNT...)
Open newel half turn stair
21 Classifications of Stair (CoNT...)

Geometrical half turn stairs

q The essential feature of such stairs are
that the stringers and the hand rails are
continuous, without any intervening newel post.
q This may be either with half-space landing
or without.
22 Classifications of Stair (CoNT...)
Three quarter turn stairs: has its direction changed three times with its upper
flight crossing the bottom one.

Ø It may either be newel type or open newel type

Ø Such type of stair is used when the length of the stair room is limited and when
the vertical distance b/n the two floors is quite large .

Bifurcated stairs: The stair has a wider flight at the bottom, which bifurcates into
two narrow flights one turning to the left and the other to the right, at the landing.

Ø It may be either of newel type with a newel post or of geometrical type

Ø This type of stair is commonly used in public buildings at their entrance hall.
23 Classifications of Stair (CoNT...)
Bifurcated stairs:
24 Classifications of Stair (CoNT...)
Continuous stairs:
q Type of stairs which do neither have any landing nor any intermediate
newel post.

q They are geometrical in shape.

q Continuous stairs may be of three types:
Ø Circular stairs, Circular stairs:

Ø Spiral stairs, and Has circular plan configuration.

Ø Helical stairs.
25 Classifications of Stair (CoNT...)

Spiral stairs:

q They are usually made either of R.C.C. or metal.

q They are employed at a location where there

are space limitations.

q They are also used as emergency stairs and are

provided at the back side of the building.

q All the steps are winders.Therefore they

are not comfortable

26 Classifications of Stair (CoNT...)

Helical stairs:

q Looks very fine but its structural design and

construction is very complicated.

q It is made of R.C.C. in which a large portion of

steel is required to resist bending, shear and torsion.

27 Stairs of Different Materials
q The selection of materials for the construction of stairs depend up on
Ø The availability of materials and ease of transportation
Ø Funds
Ø Desired life of building
Ø Aesthetical importance
Ø Freedom of design
Ø Expected fire resisting quality
q Thus, stairs may be made either of timber, bricks, stones, mild steel.
Wrought iron, or plain and reinforced concrete.
28 Stairs of Different Materials (CoNT...)

Timber stairs
q Light in weight and easy to construct.
q They have poor fire resistance and sound insulation.
q They are unsuitable for high rise residential
buildings and for public buildings.
q The timber to be used should be well
treated before use.
29 Stairs of Different Materials (CoNT...)

Concrete stairs
q They are most widely used for

residential, public and industrial buildings.

q They are strong, durable, can take any

desired shape and have good fire resistance.

q They are less noisy, can be kept clean and may

have more attracting appearances if suitable

finishes are used.

q Reinforced concrete stairs can be cast-in-situ or prefabricated.

30 Stairs of Different Materials (CoNT...)
Pre-cast Concrete stairs
q Have the following advantages:
Ø Good quality control of finished product.
Ø Saving in site space since formwork
fabrication and storage will not be required.
Ø The stairs can be installed at any
time after the floors have been completed thus giving full
utilization to the stair shaft as a lifting or hoisting space if required.
Ø Hoisting, positioning and fixing can usually be carried out by semi-skilled labor
31 Stairs of Different Materials
Metal stairs
q These can be produced in cast iron,mild steel or

aluminum alloy for use as escape stairs or

for internal accommodation stairs.

q They make a lot of noise and can be built in a

smaller area.

q They are normally manufactured in a workshop and fixed on site, which makes it
faster and will be functional immediately.

q Their main advantage is the elimination of the need for formwork. Spiral stairs are
mainly made ofmetal.
32 Stairs of Different Materials (CoNT...)
Stone stairs
q They are strong, rigid & are widely used at the main entrance of public buildings.
Stones for such stairs should be dressed & properly bounded to each other.

q Stone used for the construction of stairs should be hard, strong, and resistant to wear.

Brick stairs
q Similar to stone stairs, brick stairs are used at the entrance of a building.

q Special quality of bricks should be used for the construction of stairs.

q Brick steps may be plastered or pointed at all the joints.

q If properly made, brick stairs are durable, have good aesthetic value, but requires
frequent maintenance.
33 Essential Requirements of a Good Stair (CoNT...)

q Stairs should be designed so as to provide easy, quick and safe mode of

communication b/n the floors. The following are the general requirements which a
stair should fulfill.

Location:

Ø It should be so located as to provide easy access to the occupants of the building.

Ø It should be so located that it is well lighted and ventilated directly from the
exterior.

Ø It should be so located as to have approaches convenient and spacious

34 Essential Requirements of a Good Stair (CoNT...)

Width of stair:

Ø It should be wide enough to carry the user with out much crowd or inconvenience.

Ø Width of stairs depends up to its location in the building and the type of the
building itself.

Ø If a domestic building, a 90cm wide stair is sufficient while in public building,

1.5-1.8m width may be required.

Length of flight:

Ø From comfort point of view, the number of steps are not more than 12 and not less
than 3.
35 Essential Requirements of a Good Stair (CoNT...)

Pitch of stair:

Ø Its ascent should be relatively easy.

Ø Stairs for public building should have a pitch

of 38° and for private buildings the pitch should

not be more than 42°.

36 Essential Requirements of a Good Stair (CoNT...)
Head room:

Ø The clear distance b/n the tread and soffit of the flight immediately above it
should not be less than 2.1-2.3m
Balustrad:
Ø Open well stairs should always be provided with
balustrade, to provide safety to the users.
Ø Wider stairs should have hand rail to both the sides.
37 Essential Requirements of a Good Stair (CoNT...)

Step dimensions:

Ø The rise and going should be of such dimension as to provide comfort to the users.
Their proportion should also be such as to provide desirable pitch of the stair.

Ø The going should not be less than 25cm, though the 30cm is quite comfortable.
The rise should be b/n 10cm (for hospitals, etc) to 15cm.

Ø The width of landing should not be less than the width of a stair.

ü Rise + Tread ≥ 40 and ≤ 45cm

ü 2Rise + Tread ≥ 58 and ≤ 63cm

ü Rise x Tread ≥ 400 and ≤ 500cm2

38 Essential Requirements of a Good Stair (CoNT...)
39 Essential Requirements of a Good Stair (CoNT...)
40 Ladders
q Ladders are used primarily in industrial construction and in utility and service
areas
41 Ramps
q Ramps shall be provided to allow wheel chair access and luggage path in
hotels, for stretchers in hospitals for loading and unloading in warehouses and
factories.
42 Elevators (CoNT...)

q Elevators travel vertically to carry passengers, equipments and freight from one
level of the building to another.
q The two most common types are electric and hydraulic elevator.
Electric elevator:
Ø Consist of a car that is mounted on guide rails supported by hoisting cables, and
driven by electric hoisting machinery in a pent house.
Hydraulic elevator:
Ø Consist of a car supported by a piston that is moved by or moves against a fluid
under pressure.
43 Elevators (CoNT...)

q The type, size, number, speed and arrangement of elevators are determined by:
q Type of occupancy
Ø Amount and tempo of traffic to be carried
Ø Total vertical distance of travel
Ø Round-trip time and speed desired.
44 Elevators (CoNT...)
45 Escalators
q Escalators are power driven stairways consisting of steps attached to
continuously circulating belt.
q They can move a large number of people efficiently and comfortably b/n a
limited number of floors, six floors are a practicably limit.
q ince escalator move at a constant speed, there is a practically no waiting period,
but there should be adequate queuing space at each loading and discharge.
q The pitch varies b/n 30-35°.
q Escalators are usually used in public areas like airport, shopping malls, etc
46 Escalators (CoNT...)

q Escalators are typically used in pairs with one going up and other
going down.
 Go to Chapter-5.5
Doors and Windows