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Published:
Sep 24, 2014DOI:
10.4314/njt.v33i4.23Keywords:
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Main Article Content
Finite Element Analysis of a Free-Standing Staircase
Abstract
The existing approximate analytical methods of analyzing free-standing stairs fail to predict the distribution of any stress resultant and the actual three dimensional behavior of the stair slab system. A more rationale but simple and accurate method of analysis based on finite element method is presented. Plate flexural analysis is used to evaluate unknown displacements at each node of a rectangular plate element. Spreadsheet (FEM 2D) is also used to analyze the stairs and to compare the finite element analysis with the analytical method. The study reveals that the variation of stress resultants across a section is non-uniform, which is otherwise not recognized by the analytical methods. This indicates that the effects of axial forces in flights are more than offset by the effect of in-plane moments which causes lateral sway of the whole stair towards the upper flight.
