Stair reinforcement detail

What does a stair detail include?

A stair detail consists of a section and a plan. The section shows the steps, the waist slab thickness, the main bars running along the slope, their continuation through the landing, and their arrangement at the kinks. The plan shows the layout of the flights and the landing, the distribution bars and the dimensions.

• Main bars and distribution bars
• Reinforcement continuity through the landing
• Bar arrangement at kinks
• Stair connection to beams or shear walls
• Step dimensions and levels

Stair types

• Straight stair: a single flight spanning between two supports
• Two-flight stair: with an intermediate landing, the most common type
• Cantilever stair: steps cantilevered from a shear wall or beam
• Circular stair: curved flights, requiring special geometry

Watch the kinks

At the kinks where the inclined slab meets the horizontal landing, incorrectly placed bars tend to pull out of the concrete. At these points, the bars must cross over and continue. For more, see our article on reinforcement at landings and kinks.