A spiral stairway with a sloped intermediate landing is known as which?

• A. Large Spiral Stairway
• B. Short Radius Spiral
• C. Straight Stairway
• D. Flat Curve

Answer: (B)

A short radius spiral is used to describe a spiral stair with a tight bend and an intermediate landing that is often sloped to fit the limited footprint while keeping the tread widths and handrail alignment consistent around the turn. The small radius forces the flight to change direction more quickly, so the sloped landing helps manage geometry and safety in that confined space.

A large radius spiral would have a gentler, wider curve and usually wouldn’t need a sloped intermediate landing. A straight stairway isn’t curved at all, so it doesn’t describe a spiral. The term flat curve isn’t a standard way to name a spiral stair configuration. So the configuration described fits best with a short radius spiral.