steps underground
The number of sequential steps within a structure leading down from its base to its lowest level.
The number of steps underground in a structure is the total number of individual stairway steps that must be descended sequentially in order to walk from the base to the lowest available step in the structure. This applies regardless of whether the stairways along this path are left accessible to users or to the public.
This number is not increased by the addition of further stairwells (that is covered by the number of steps in all stairways). It refers only to one path from the bottom to the lowest level reached by any stairway. If more than one set of steps leading down into a structure is available, and the various paths do not have the same number of steps, then the path with the lowest number of steps determines the number of steps above ground.
The normal height for a step is approximately 10 centimeters, with a nearly equal or greater length sufficient to support persons climbing on it.
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Related definitions
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number of stairwells
The maximum number of distinct sites in any one floor level where stairways are located. -
number of steps in all stairways
The cumulative number of steps in a structure above & below ground, counting parallel stairways separately. -
steps above ground
The number of steps in a single path from the base of a structure to its highest accessible level.