Title: Flexural Behavior of Slabless Reinforced Concrete Staircases

Author(s): Eray Özbek, Yüksel Kaya, Meryem Bocek, and Sabahattin Aykaç

Publication: Structural Journal

Volume: 118

Issue: 6

Appears on pages(s): 63-73

Keywords: folded slab; riser; slabless staircase; staircase; tread

DOI: 10.14359/51732849

Date: 11/1/2021

Abstract:
Slabless reinforced concrete (RC) staircases attract architects with their aesthetically pleasing appearance and are therefore especially preferred for the interior design of prestigious buildings. The design and detailing of such staircases are based on analytical approaches and engineering judgment. However, these analytical methods are not supported by extensive experimental research. Besides, engineers have to deal with lots of uncertainties due to a lack of experimental data. Therefore, experimental research was conducted to investigate the flexural behavior of slabless staircases. A total of 12 two-thirds-scaled specimens with four different reinforcement arrangements and three different tread/riser thicknesses were prepared for testing under six-point monotonic loading. The results show that tread thickness, rather than riser thickness, significantly affects the behavior of slabless staircases. In addition, it has been found that the planar reinforcement can greatly improve the behavior and prevent possible bonding problems. The results are also consistent with the adopted analytical approaches.