Cellular Metal Core Stair Tread with Concrete Shell
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional concrete stair treads are heavy, prone to brittle fracture, and difficult to handle and install, limiting their loading capacity and posing an earthquake safety hazard, especially in multi-story buildings and commercial settings.
Innovation Solution
A stair tread design featuring a lightweight metal core with a cellular structure, such as a honeycomb shape, covered by a high-strength concrete portion, providing improved strength and reduced weight compared to solid concrete treads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional solid concrete is used for stair treads, then strength and durability are improved, but weight increases significantly and handling becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The stair tread is divided into a solid concrete outer shell and a hollow cellular core structure. The core is segmented into multiple cells formed by vertical and horizontal web members, creating a lightweight internal framework that maintains structural strength while reducing overall weight compared to solid concrete.
Solution Approach 2:
The stair tread incorporates a cellular porous structure within its core, consisting of interconnected voids formed by the web member framework. This porous configuration reduces material density and weight while the concrete shell maintains external strength and durability requirements.
2Reliability
If conventional solid concrete is used for stair treads, then durability is improved, but brittleness increases and safety decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The internal structure is segmented into a cellular framework that prevents stress concentration in single locations. This segmentation allows the structure to distribute loads more evenly and resist brittle fracture propagation, improving safety while maintaining durability through the protective concrete shell.
3Strength
If conventional solid concrete is used for stair treads, then structural integrity is maintained, but loading capacity is limited due to weight
Solution Approach 1:
The cellular core structure segments the internal volume into load-bearing web members that efficiently transmit forces. This segmented framework provides structural integrity while reducing dead weight, thereby increasing the net loading capacity of the stair tread.
Solution Approach 2:
The stair tread uses a composite construction combining concrete shell material with a lightweight cellular core structure. This composite design leverages the high compressive strength of concrete while incorporating the weight-saving benefits of the cellular framework, improving loading capacity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure concerns embodiments of a stair tread which can be installed on a staircase. The stair tread has a metal core at least partially covered with high-strength concrete. In an exemplary embodiment, the core portion has first and second horizontally extending metal plates that are spaced apart vertically from each other, and a grid of vertically extending metal support walls positioned between the first and second metal plates. The core portion can also include retention elements extending upwardly from and distributed across the top of the upper plate for securing the concrete covering to the core.