stairtools

stairtools provides tools to compute and visualize straight stair geometries from basic architectural constraints.

The package separates the calculation into three main steps:

1. stair rise: determines the number of rises and the riser height from the total height.
2. stair run: computes the horizontal development of the flight.
3. stair geometry: builds the complete stepped profile.

Design principle

The main function is stair_compute(), which combines these steps into a complete stair solution.

max_run represents the maximum available horizontal space, not a length that must be fully occupied. If this maximum theoretical value indicated does not fit in the available space, it is reduced accordingly. This means that a large available length does not automatically produce a longer stair: the unused space remains available.

The stair geometry follows the Blondel - comfort - relationship:

$$2r + g = B$$

where $r$ is the riser height, $g$ is the tread depth (going), and $B$ is the target Blondel value.

Installation

Install the development version from GitHub:

# install.packages("remotes")

remotes::install_github("clement-LVD/stairtools")

library(stairtools)

s <- stair_compute(height = 840, max_run = 1040)

plot(s$geometry)

The returned object contains:

• s$rise : vertical stair calculation
• s$build : horizontal stair calculation
• s$geometry : complete stair profile
• s$unused_run : remaining available horizontal space

The plot displays:

• the stepped profile,
• departure and arrival reference levels,
• cumulative horizontal dimensions,
• cumulative vertical dimensions.

Main parameters:

• blondel_target controls the preferred comfort relationship,
• min_going prevents unrealistic very small treads,
• max_going limits excessively deep treads.

Units

All dimensions are expressed in millimetres.

Optional parameters

Add a landing step with depth similar to the other steps:

 

s <- stair_compute(height = 840, max_run = 1040, last_step_is_landing = TRUE)

plot(s$geometry)

Add a landing step with a custom depth :

 
s <- stair_compute(height = 840, max_run = 1040, end_depth = 100, last_step_is_landing = TRUE )

plot(s$geometry)