Stair Handrail Load
Stair Handrail Load
(OP)
I am designing a set of steel stairs for mezzanine access at a production facility. One side of the stairs runs along a wall so there will only be a railing on that side. The other side is exposed and will have a guardrail and handrail. Occupant load is less than 50 and the facility is an Occupancy F building so I am using the reduced load of 20 plf per IBC 1607.7.1 for distributed loading. I am also checking a 200# concentrated load at multiple locations non-concurrently with the distributed load. My question is, should the 20 plf load be applied to the entire length of the guardrail, or should it only be applied to a portion of the guardrail at a time. The reason I ask, is while I have sufficient strength, deflection under service load is quite high (approximately 1.2" of horizontal deflection in guardrail vertical end member). My verticals are 2x2x1/4" and the horizontals are the same size. It seems as though the deflection is high, but the likelihood of a full 20 plf load over the length of a 15' guardrail is fairly low. However, I want to justify the deflection before I send this to drafting.






RE: Stair Handrail Load
RE: Stair Handrail Load
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RE: Stair Handrail Load
I cannot think of a case where there is any benefit in reducing the uniform load from 50 plf to 20 plf, if the concentrated load remains 200#.
www.FerrellEngineering.com
Providing fabrication and erection efficient structural design of connections. Consulting services for structural welding and bolting.
RE: Stair Handrail Load
This is a life safety issue, so be careful with reductions!
RE: Stair Handrail Load
Dik
RE: Stair Handrail Load
RE: Stair Handrail Load
150 plf That is a serious handrail! You will need a post ever few inches.
Did you mean 50 plf?
www.FerrellEngineering.com
Providing fabrication and erection efficient structural design of connections. Consulting services for structural welding and bolting.
RE: Stair Handrail Load