About Ramps

Ramps, or inclined planes, are flat surfaces tiled at an angle, with one end higher than the other. Ramps can be used as an alternative to stairs for wheelchair users or people with bicycles, shopping carts, and other wheeled items.

From the functional perspective, ramps are widely used to raise or lower a load. They are also used to smoothly move heavy loads over vertical obstacles. Ramps can be designed to improve accessibility for humans or automobiles.

From the aesthetic perspective, ramps can contribute to the interior visual appeal and can be used as a major design feature in a building. Ramps can also heavily influence the shape of the building, as seen in parking garages and museums.

While designing a ramp, make sure that you balance the following features according to design requirements and local zoning requirements:

  • Horizontal Length, Height, and Width: A ramp with the least possible horizontal length and height requires less effort while moving up the slope, and avoids excessive acceleration while moving down the slope. You can make ramps easier to use by reducing the horizontal length and height, and by increasing the width. You can choose a practical value for all three dimensions by surveying the available space.
    Note: The total length of the ramp includes the horizontal length of the slope, landings, and transition slopes.
  • Rise and Run: The Rise is the height and the Run is the horizontal length of the ramp. The slope of the ramp is calculated as a ratio between the Rise and Run. If you are designing a ramp for wheelchair users, a Rise value of 1m should correspond to a minimum Run value of 12m. If you are designing ramps for vehicles or other special cases, you may reduce the Run value to provide a steeper slope. If you want to make the ramp easier to use, enter a higher Run value for a given Rise value. The drawback of a higher Run value is that it increases the horizontal length of the main slope.
  • Landings: Landings at either end of the ramp provide a safe space for maneuvering or resting. If you want to avoid excessive acceleration and improve usability of the ramp, increase the length of the landings. The drawback of increasing Landing length increases the total length of the ramp.
  • Transitions: Transition slopes are used to ease the transfer of a load between landings and the main slope. While designing ramps for vehicles or wheeled loads, use transition slopes to maintain ground clearance. Transitions are usually sloped at 50% of the main slope value. Including transitions increases total length of the slope.
  • Miscellaneous: If doors are placed on either side of the ramp, sufficient landing should be provided before doors. If the ramp is placed outdoors, you may need to provide stairs for use during adverse weather conditions.