Engineering Failure Analysis 33 (2013) 490–496

Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect

Engineering Failure Analysis

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/engfailanal

Earthquake response analysis for stairs about frame structure

Hongling Sun ⇑, Aiping Zhang, Jiangtao Cao
College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu 610500, PR China

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: Based on the 2008 code for anti-seismic design of the buildings, the earthquake damages
Received 3 January 2013 about the staircases and stairs in Wenchuan Earthquake are briefly analyzed. To study
Received in revised form 19 June 2013 the stair influence about frame structure for seismic performances, the structural dynamic
Accepted 21 June 2013
property about the stair location, the whole structure response and the bearing capacity of
Available online 4 July 2013
the stair components are analyzed through computational datum of ETABS software. The
analyses shows that the supporting effect of staircases alters natural period, angular dis-
Keywords:
placement between the layers and internal forces in frame columns of the whole structure
Plate stairs
Earthquake damages
and makes great influence on the whole structure strength. We should pay much attention
ETABS to the seismic design about stairs. Some concepts of earthquake-proof design and construc-
Stair anti-seismic design tion measures are also put forward in the paper.
Ó 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction

As the important vertical transport channels, the staircases assume to guarantee persons, goods and materials with emer-
gency escape. Plate stairs are the most commonly used in the structures among masonry structure, frame structure and the
bottom frame structure. Especially in Wenchuan Earthquake stairs played an important role as the escape way. At 14:28 on
May 12, 2008, a magnitude 8.0 earthquake that focal depth is 14 km was happened in Yingxiu town, Wenchuan county, Sich-
uan province of China. Its location is in the East Longitude 103.40 and North Latitude 31.0. According to the abundant sur-
veys in the first time after Wenchuan Earthquake, stairs usually happened diverse serious damages before the main
structural failure and influenced the emergency use.
The 2008 code for anti-seismic design of the buildings does some revises in the manuscript 3.6.6 aiming at this matter
(housing and urban-rural development of the People’s Republic of China [1]), owing to 2001 code without the staircase seis-
mic design. As well as we know, Chinese 2008 seismic design code is adapted according the 2001 seismic design code and
Chinese esrthquake damages. So 2008 code is one of internationally comparable seismic codes and its requirements will be
safer than others. As 3.6.6 points out, structural calculation should consider the influence of the stair components, but there
are less research about the staircase anti-seismic capability and lacking specific considerable methods and requirements. The
research about reinforced concrete frame structure overall performance had been done at home and abroad before the
Wenchuan Earthquake happened, but the publish literature is less. There are some introductions about the stair damage
of earthquakes, stair vibration and the theoretical analysis experimental research which are about the influence of the rein-
forced concrete tower building on seismic performance in literature [2–4]. Cao [5–7] carried out some research about the
little structure scale model of the staircases with considering the influence of structural layer stiffness.
Compared with other stairs types, plate stair has convenient construction, dexterous appearance and low cost. Owing to
the obvious advantages and common use, the research of plate stairs under earthquakes has practical significance and appli-
cation value. The structural dynamic property about the stair location, the whole structure response and the bearing capacity

⇑ Corresponding author. Tel.: +86 13880836320.

E-mail address: tujianxingzhu620@163.com (H. Sun).

1350-6307/$ - see front matter Ó 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.engfailanal.2013.06.023
 H. Sun et al. / Engineering Failure Analysis 33 (2013) 490–496 491

of the stair components including the stress and deformation are analyzed in this paper through computational datum of
ETABS software. With the valuable conclusions of the paper, the anti-seismic design code can do further revisions and
put forward the specific design method to provide references.

2. Seismic damages of the staircases in Wenchuan Earthquake [8]

The damages of the stairs are more serious than other parts in Wenchuan Earthquake. The damages are as follows:

(1) Fig. 1 shows the horizontal cracks, sagged concrete cover and the flexural rebar of the stair plates.
(2) Fig. 2 shows the cracks, heavy shift and collapse phenomena of the filler walls.
(3) Short columns damage of the stair columns with the stair platform constraints.
(4) Through cracks between the stair flight and the stair platform with lacking of the reliable connection.
(5) Severe inclination of the stairs with weak connection and severe connection damages.
(6) Visible cracks of the stair flight apart from the 1/4–3/4 span of the stair platform.

3. Staircases calculation method and seismic design considerations

3.1. Simplified design method

In accordance with the existing design methods, the whole calculation processes of staircases about different structures
including masonry structure, frame structure and so on are simplified. Firstly, establish calculation model and open a hole in
the stair layer. Secondly, transfer the vertical load to the frame beams, columns and walls while carrying out the internal
force calculation and lay bar in the overall structure. In this method both ends of the stair are embedded in the beam without
considering the seismic effect. The middle span moment value is taken 1/8–1/10 by the different fixed forms, also the stair
platform is calculated as the simply supported beam as well as the stair stringer. The reinforcement calculation for stairs is
carrying on according to the result of the conventional and diagonal members’ bearing capacity. In accordance with the
codes, the calculation of crack control and the deflection examination also need to be undertaken.
The software about structure design almost base on the code of anti-seismic design of the buildings [1]. Though the first
clause of 3.6.6 in 2008 code should consider the stair components’ effect, it is lack of the considerate and concrete methods.
This has brought difficulties to the software upgrades and design personnel for seismic design requirement. This paper use
ETABS which is one of 3D modeling finite element analysis software to model, analyze and draw the conclusion rather than
the existing common structure design software.

3.2. Considerations about stair seismic design

The stair layout should not lead to special irregular plane structure. Stair components which are integral casted with the
main structure in the meanwhile should consider the earthquake effect including the stair components influence, also the
seismic bearing capacity calculation about stair components should be carried on. Take appropriate structure measures
and reduce stair components affects on the structure stiffness.

3.2.1. The staircases should participate in the calculation of the whole structure [9]
(1) Stiffness contribution of stair components.
(2) Stair stiffness makes great influence on the frame structure. Owing to the stairs and peripheral components bearing
more seismic forces, the local reinforcement of the corner posts, stair columns and the mid-span of the stair plates
should be strengthen.
(3) The stair stiffness contribution influences the stair plate supports on two pieces of walls in the shear wall structure.
Especially for the short shear walls, the stairs should conduct the spatial analysis.
3.2.2. Add staircase constructional columns
3.2.3. Reinforce the seismic capacity of staircase walls
3.2.4. Avoid the end location

The end stairs would lead to the eccentricity of the stiffness center increasingly and be adverse to the side columns and
corner posts.

4. Model datum analyses about reinforced concrete frame stairs [10]

The model mainly researches a six story reinforced concrete frame structure. The span of X direction is 6 m (or 4 m) and Y
direction is 8 m (or 3 m). The section size of the frame columns is 500 mm  600 mm. The section size of the frame beams in
X direction is 300 mm  700 mm. The section size of the beams in Y direction separately 300 mm  800 mm for the interval
of 8 m and 250 mm  400 mm for the 3 m interval. The size of the secondary beams in Y direction is 300 mm  600 mm. The
492 H. Sun et al. / Engineering Failure Analysis 33 (2013) 490–496

cross-section of the stair columns and stair beams are separately 250 mm  250 mm and 240 mm  400 mm, the thickness
of all slabs is 120 mm. The concrete strength grade is C30 (fc = 20.1 N/mm2, ft = 2.01 N/mm2) The permanent load and var-
iable load are respectively 1.5 kN/m2 and 2.0 kN/m2. The earthquake influence coefficient value is 0.16 without considering
the influence of the filler walls. The damping ratio is 0.05 and the cycle reduction coefficient is taken by 0.7 according to the
calculation of small earthquakes which is 8 magnitudes (0.02 g). The structure important factor is 1.0. Take 1.0 as the earth-
quake magnification coefficient and 0.4 s as the characteristic cycle. We choose the second site type and adopt the load com-
bination according to the requirement of the load code (without considering the wind load and vertical seismic effect).
For analyzing conveniently and drawing reference conclusions, build three numerical models.

 Model 1: build the analysis model without considering the staircases (the simplified algorithm of the 2001 seismic code).
 Model 2: build the analysis model and lay the staircases on the ends of the storey as one part of the whole structure.
 Model 3: build the analysis model and lay the staircase in the middle of the storey as one part of the whole structure.

In all models the storey stiffness is unlimited in the plane and the overall weight that can be automatically generated by
the software participates in the calculation. The plane view and 3-D view are shown in Figs. 3–6 as follows.

4.1. Structural natural periods

Structural natural periods of three models are showed in Table 1. Staircases can be taken as horizontal bracings and have
great influence on the stiffness of the structure. Comparing model 1 with model 2, the attenuation of second period is bigger
than model 1 owing to the staircases horizontal bracings. The model 2 torsion period is better than model 1. Analysis indi-
cates that the staircase location can influence torsion effect. In addition, different restrains change the structural natural
periods including the rigid connection and hinged joint in model 1 and model 3.

4.2. Structure bottom shear forces

Table 2 shows the structure bottom shear values. Compared with model 1, the shear values about model 2 and model 3
increase greatly, especially the increasing of model 2 reaches 30.40%. In addition, the staircase location in Y direction can
make more great influence on Y direction than on X direction. Moreover, the degrees of freedom for bracings in bench bottom
have little effect on the structure total shear force.

4.3. Inter-storey displacement angles

The inter-storey displacement angles under the earthquake effect are in Table 3 for X direction and Table 4 for Y direction.
The inter-storey displacement angle of the second layer is the biggest. The higher the building is, the smaller the inter-storey
displacement angle is. Contrasted the three models the inter-storey displacement angle value decreases obviously with the
participant of the staircases, especially the second layer. Analysis indicates that the second and the third layer of general
framework buildings may be damaged easily. In Wenchuan Earthquake this damage phenomenon also has been confirmed.
According to the 2008 code, earthquake damage numerical estimation limits to the buildings can be adapted in the terms
of Table 5. We can draw the conclusion that all the inter-story displacement angle values are less than 1/550 and meet the
requirement of regulations and criteria.

Fig. 1. Seismic damage of stair beams.

H. Sun et al. / Engineering Failure Analysis 33 (2013) 490–496 493

Fig. 2. Seismic damage of staircase walls.

Fig. 3. The plane layout of the model.

Fig. 4. 3D view of model 1.

Fig. 5. 3D view of model 2.

494 H. Sun et al. / Engineering Failure Analysis 33 (2013) 490–496

Fig. 6. 3D view of model 3.

Table 1
Natural vibration period of the structure.

Models Vibration mode 1/period Vibration mode 2/period Vibration mode 3/period
Model 1 Displacement of X direction/1.12 s Displacement of Y direction /1.08 s Torsion/0.92
Model 2 Displacement of X direction/0.88 s Displacement of Y direction /0.87 s Torsion/0.74 s
Model 3 Displacement of X direction/1.10 s Displacement of Y direction /0.97 s Torsion/0.90 s

Table 2
Equivalent base shear of the structure.

Models Seismic action direction Total base shear (KN) Compared with model 1 (%)
Model 1 X 6045.170 /
Y 5053.112 /
Model 2 X 6541.834 8.22
Y 6592.068 30.40
Mode 3 X 6386.900 5.65
Y 5928.925 17.33

Table 3
The inter-storey displacement angle in X direction.

Models Storey 1 Storey 2 Storey 3 Storey 4 Storey 5 Storey 6

Model 1 0.0012 0.00164 0.00153 0.0013 0.00098 0.00059
Model 2 0.00121 0.00159 0.00152 0.0014 0.00112 0.00063
Model 3 0.00123 0.00161 0.00153 0.0014 0.00112 0.00061

Table 4
The inter-storey displacement angle in Y direction.

Models Storey 1 Storey 2 Storey 3 Storey 4 Storey 5 Storey 6

Model 1 0.00145 0.0021 0.002 0.0017 0.0013 0.0007
Model 2 0.00128 0.00159 0.00148 0.0014 0.0012 0.0009
Model 3 0.00135 0.0017 0.00165 0.00155 0.00135 0.0008

4.4. Analysis and comparison of internal force for the frame structure

The staircases location in Y direction can make more great influence than in X direction. The internal force values about
frame columns in Y direction are in Table 6 as follows. The existence of staircases may cause the differences of internal force
distribution. The analysis indicates that the greater the bracing effect is, the bigger and more obvious the differences are.
Without considering the staircases in the calculation, the columns damage easily which are underestimated internal forces.
The damage of the staircase pillars on both sides are damaged much seriously than others and it also has been confirmed in
Wenchuan Earthquake.
According to the earthquake damage facts, stair columns may form short column damages with the effect of bracings.
Tables 7–9 show the internal force distribution of every storey under the seismic effect. The internal force of the stair
 H. Sun et al. / Engineering Failure Analysis 33 (2013) 490–496 495

Table 5
Limits to inter-story displacement angle ([he]).

Structure types [he]

Reinforced concrete frame 1/550
Reinforced concrete frame-shear wall, slab-column-shear wall, frame-corewall structure 1/800
Shear wall, tube-in-tube structure 1/1000
Reinforced concrete frame-supported shear wall 1/1000
Multi-storey and high-rise steel structures 1/250

Table 6
Internal force of each model frame column under Y-direction seismic effect (based on the serial number of column grid intersection points).

Models Forces Column A6 Column A7 Column B6 Column B7

Model 1 Moment (KN m) 268.51 268.51 283.01 283.01
Shear (KN) 100.03 100.03 110.56 110.56
Axial force (KN) 361.76 361.76 84.72 84.72
Model 2 Moment (KN m) 209.56 209.78 220.59 220.81
Shear (KN) 78.63 78.72 86.65 86.75
Axial force (KN) 284.81 285.31 66.58 66.07
Model 3 Moment (KN m) 235.38 509.16 323.47 299.43
Shear (KN) 379.69 66.66 92.03 84.49
Axial force (KN) 1508.4 1479.8 1374.2 1486.7
Models Forces Column A12 Column A1 Column C12 Column B12
Model 1 Moment (KN m) 268.23 268.23 282.92 268.39
Shear (KN) 99.90 99.90 110.52 110.52
Axial force (KN) 361.96 361.96 84.99 84.99
Model 2 Moment (KN m) 454.16 207.44 224.85 202.58
Shear (KN) 307.70 255.80 89.72 75.12
Axial force (KN) 1344.41 1373.66 51.36 1292.70
Model 3 Moment (KN m) 278.61 278.02 299.50 336.23
Shear (KN) 87.57 87.57 96.66 96.67
Axial force (KN) 316.2 315.15 74.33 73.62

Note: Column A6 means than the column which is located on the cross intersect of X axis and Y axis. Other column numbers have the same means as well as
Column A6.

Table 7
Internal forces of stair columns in model 1.

Internal force Storey 1 Storey 2 Storey 3 Storey 4 Storey 5

Moment (KN m) 55 58 51 40 28
Shear (KN) 51 57 50 39 27

Table 8
Internal forces of stair columns in model 2.

Internal force Storey 1 Storey 2 Storey 3 Storey 4 Storey 5

Moment (KN m) 55 60.5 54 42 29
Shear (KN) 52 57.5 50 39 27

Table 9
Internal forces of stair columns in model 3.

Internal force Storey 1 Storey 2 Storey 3 Storey 4 Storey 5

Moment (KN m) 65 71 62 50 34
Shear (KN) 72 83 72.5 58 38

columns decreases with the building height increasing. The moment and shear values in model 1 separately reach 58 KN m
and 57 KN m. The values in model 2 are 60.5 KN m and 57.5 KN m. Also in model 3 the values are 71 KN m and 83 KN m. That
is to say, the second layer stair columns may be damaged more easily.
496 H. Sun et al. / Engineering Failure Analysis 33 (2013) 490–496

Analysis by software shows that the staircase beams bear bigger moment and shear under the seismic effect and the stair
beams between layers are damages more easily than in the stair platform. For the same model the higher the building are,
the smaller the internal forces are. The stair beam internal forces in the stair platform about model 2 and model 3 are sep-
arately shown in Tables 8 and 9.

4.5. Analysis about stair flight stress

According to the analysis results, the lower the location of stair fights is, the bigger tensile stress that they bear is. And
stress area becomes bigger in the whole inclined area. The higher buildings are, the smaller stair flight stress is. Seismic ac-
tion has great influences on the internal forces which locate in the direction of the stair flight plate length, especially axial
tension. So the large effect on its reinforcement need be strengthened. Stress distribution of the stair flight plate is very un-
even and the tension forces in the near side of frame beam are bigger. The phenomenon consists with earthquake damages
and also confirms the datum and conclusions correctly.

5. Conclusions

In order to realize the goal as the earthquake safe passage, stair seismic designs can be divided into three levels. Firstly,
elastic design can be adopted for small earthquakes and emphasize to ensure construction measures of the ductility. Sec-
ondly, elastic design for small earthquakes and moderate earthquakes which does not yield in design should be taken into
account. Thirdly, small earthquakes and moderate earthquake should consider the elastic design.
Based on the earthquake damages and structure analysis by ETABS, We can draw the conclusions by the analysis datum.

(1) Due to the staircase’s existence and horizontal bracings effect, the values of vibration period and inter-story displace-
ment angle decrease, also the bottom shears obviously increase. Meanwhile the layout of stair flights makes great
influence on the bracings effects of the staircases.
(2) The staircase locations affect the structure natural vibration periods and internal structure forces. The inappropriate
location may influence greatly on natural vibration periods and torsion effects. The location which may be the decisive
factor can more easily suffer from damages.
(3) The staircase location can change internal force distributions. Due to the stair flight support effects, the internal forces
of the frame columns are rather different from the original. The more the bracings affect, the more obviously and more
different the internal force distribution changes. Owing to this reason, the damages of adjacent pillars are more serious
than others.
(4) In the aspects of the size of layer displacement angles and the force distribution of stair flights and stair columns, the
second storey is damaged earlier than others as well as the staircases. The frame structure deformation belongs to
the shear deformation. With the increasing of the structure height, the layer displacement angles and internal forces
of the components decrease gradually. Then the degree of staircase damages mitigates gradually.

The staircases play an important role in the design and affect the whole structure forces as well as the displacements. The
frame structure forces which are adjacent to the staircases change greatly and are more easily to be damaged in the earth-
quake. Prevention from the shear failure, stirrups should be lay out densely along the whole height of frame columns and a
certain number of diagonal reinforcements in the fust. Stair flight plates should be thickened and negative reinforcements
should pull through and form double two-way reinforcement layout. Platform beams subject to torsion obviously, so the de-
sign should increase the cross section, the top and bottom longitudinal reinforcements and stirrups that locate on the corner
of stair flight plates. All the regional members as mentioned above should draw our attention and be strengthen in the de-
sign. Then we can reduce the losses that are lead by the earthquake damages according to our seismic designs.

References

[1] 2008 GB50011-2001. Earthquake resistant design code. Housing and urban-rural development of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing, PR China;
2008.
[2] Mehmet I, Hayri BO, Huseyin B. Reevaluation of building damage during recent earthquakes in Tukey. Eng Struct 2008;30(2):412–27.
[3] Sang BK, Young HL, Andrew S. Experimental assessment of vibration serviceability of stair systems. J Constr Steel Res 2008;64(2):253–9.
[4] Halil S, Ramazan A, Adem D. Dynamic analysis and seismic performance of reinforced concrete minarets. Eng Struct 2008;30(8):2253–64.
[5] Cao Wanlin, Pang Guoxin, Li Yunxiao. Experimental research about elastic layer stiffness of the frame structure with stairs. W Earthquake Eng
1996;2:29–32.
[6] Cao Wanlin, Pang Guoxin, Li Yunxiao. Experimental research about elastic layer stiffness of frame structure with stairs. W Earthquake Eng
1996;3:52–6.
[7] Cao Wanlin, Hu Guozhen. Research of the collaborate performance about reinforced concrete frame and stairs. Eng Mech (S) 1996. p. 23–6.
[8] Shiyun Xiao, Hongnan Li, Ming Lu. Preliminary investigations and inspirations of wenchuan earthquake damage. In: The analysis and reconstruction
seminar about Wenchuan Earthquake building damage, Beijing; 2008. p. 89–9.
[9] Hongjun Dai, Ai Qi. Seismic response analysis about reinforced concrete frame structure with considering the influence of stairs. J Fuzhou Univ
(Natural, Science Ed); 2010; 02.
[10] Dai Hongjun, Qi Ai. Analysis about collaborate performance of reinforced concrete frame structure with staircase based on ETABS. J Earthquake Eng Eng
Vib 2009;29(6):136–42.