Compliance checking is an essential quality assurance process in architecture. Stairs, in particular, require specific attention as they are frequently responsible for non-compliance issues. All to often stairs are documented to meet minimum clearances but fail to account for construction tolerances. This oversight becomes incredibly problematic once on-site. Especially if the stair is bounded by structural walls which can’t be modified. To help issues such as this before they become problematic, Parametric Monkey has developed a Dynamo graph to check stair compliance.
The graph is intended for preliminary compliance only. And a manual check is recommended to verify results. The graph runs on all stairs in the Revit model simultaneously and checks:
- The maximum riser height;
- The maximum going length;
- The number of risers per stair run; and
- The minimum clearance between top rails if a railing is present.
Workflow
Before running the graph, ensure all stairs to be evaluated have a top rail. The top rail profile must have a parameter called either ‘Radius’ or ‘Diameter’. Note that if both parameters exist in the model, the graph will need to be run twice, one for each parameter to ensure all railings are checked. If there is only one railing on the stair, the graph assumes it is the inner railing and will look for the perimeter walls to check the minimum clearance.
- Define the ‘Max. riser height’.
- Define the ‘Max. going length’.
- Specify the ‘Max. number of risers per stair run’.
- Define the ‘Min. clearance width between top rails’.
- Toggle to switch between ‘Radius’ and ‘Diameter’ parameter. This input will depend on how the top rail profile family was created.
- Press Play.
Results
Non-complying stairs are returned for manual modification. If a stair is ‘excluded’, the most likely scenario is that the stair does not contain a room and so the graph can not find the bounding walls to check the clearance. To fix this issue, add a room and re-run the graph.
Conclusion
Compliance checking of stairs is a fundamental process in minimising risk during the construction process. Through advanced automation solutions such as this, it is possible to highlight any potential issues before they become problematic. To find out more about our Dynamo Package Development service, drop us a line and discover how we can automate your Revit workflows.
