Human loading on staircases

Abstract

A study of human loads on staircases has been undertaken to provide data to support the assessment and rationalisation of British design codes. The purpose of this paper is to explain the experimental method and to compare the measured loads with the characteristic loads specified in current British design codes. The experimental method was developed for measuring loads due to individuals, small controlled groups and crowds on staircases. The dynamic loads have been expressed as a factor of the static weight of the individual or crowd applying the load. The majority of the measured loads have been found to be less than the characteristic loads. However, in some cases the characteristic loads have been exceeded although no signs of damage or distress to the staircases have been observed. It is concluded that the safety factors used by staircase designers appear to be sufficient to ensure that staircases in the UK are unlikely to be damaged by dynamic load imposed by humans.