- Author
-
Templer, J. A.
- Title
- Stair Shape and Human Movement.
- Coporate
- Columbia Univ.
- Keywords
-
stairways
|
people movement
|
safety
|
human behavior
|
comfort
|
accidents
|
errosion
- Identifiers
- straight flight stairs; helical stair; composite stairs; etiology of stairway accidents; gait elicited by stairs; stair shape and energy expenditure; human territoriality and space needs on stairs; walkway, ramp and stair capacity; erosion patterns; movement and behavioral patterns; limitations, future directions and applications
- Abstract
- Stair shape in terms of layout and riser/tread geometry is circumscribed within fairly narrow limits by human gait characteristics. But the conundrum of the 'ideal' stair that is safe and comfortable, has perplexed and intrigued architectural writers ever since Vitruvius. An examination of etiological studies of stair accidents exposed many myths that have influenced extant codes and design handbooks. Gait analysis and energy metabolism experiments were conducted in a laboratory using a mechanical stair treadmill. The findings suggest that there is a range of riser and tread combinations that are congruent with human physiological responses in terms of rates of energy expenditure and the probability of missteps; and the predictive equations generated provide a tool for comparing various design alternatives.