TRANSPORTATI ON

SYSTEMS I N BUI LDI NGS

Mohd Rodzi Ismail

 MOVEMENT SYSTEMS
̈ Forms of mechanical transportation may be
found within, around and in general
association with modern buildings and
developments
̈ Lifts
̈ Escalators
̈ Travolators or moving pavements
LI FTS
 I ntroduction
̈ A lift or an elevator is a transport device
used to move goods or people vertically
̈ Considered a requirement in all buildings over
three storeys
̈ Minimum standard of service – one lift for
every four storeys with a maximum distance
of 45 m to the lift lobby
̈ Floor space estimates and car capacity can be
based on an area of 0.2 m2 per person
̈ Various speeds of lifts
 Location of lift
̈ Positioning of lift should be at locations which
provide easy means of access for all building
users – central entrance lobby of offices,
hotels, apartments, etc.
̈ Grouping of lifts is essential for user
convenience
3
Possibilities of lift
grouping
arrangements
1

2
The former World Trade Center's twin
towers used skylobbies, located on the
44th and 78th floors of each tower.
 Lift performance
̈ Lift performance depends on
̈ Acceleration
̈ Retardation
̈ Car speed
̈ Speed of door operation, and
̈ Stability of speed and performance with
variations of car load
̈ The assessment of population may be found
by allowing between one person per 9.5 m2
of floor area to 11.25 m2 of floor area.
̈ For unified starting and finishing times - 17%
of population per 5 minutes may be used.
̈ For staggered starting and finishing times -
12% of the population may be used.
̈ The number of lifts will have an effect on the
quality of service.
̈ Four 18-person lifts provide the same capacity as
three 24-person lifts but the waiting time will be
about twice as long with the three-car group.
̈ The quality of service may be found from the
interval of the group.
̈ 23 to 35 seconds – excellent
̈ 35 to 45 seconds - acceptable for offices
̈ 60 seconds – acceptable for hotels
̈ 90 seconds – acceptable for flats
̈ Further criteria for the comfort and
convenience of lift users:
̈ Directional indication of location of the lift lobby
for people unfamiliar with the building.
̈ Call buttons at landings and in the car positioned
for ease of use with unambiguous definition for
up and down directions.
̈ Call buttons to be at a level appropriate for use
by people with disabilities and small children.
̈ Call display/car location display at landings to be
favourably positioned for a group of people to
watch the position of all cars and for them to
move efficiently to the first car arriving.
̈ Call lights and indicators with an audible facility
to show which car is first available and in which
direction it is traveling.
̈ Lobby space of sufficient area to avoid congestion
by lift users and general pedestrian traffic in the
vicinity.
̈ A method for estimating and comparing
efficiency and effectiveness of lift installation
is by calculating the round trip time (RTT):
̈ An average period of time for one lift car to
circulate, incorporating statistical data for time
lost due to stops
̈ It is measured from the time the lift doors begin
to open at the main terminal to the time they
reopen when the car complete its cycle
̈ Example
̈ A building having five floors at 3 m floor to floor
spacing, a car capacity of 6 persons and 2 ms-1
speed of travel
1. Probable number of stops (S1):

⎛ S −1⎞
S1 = S − S ⎜ ⎟
n

where,
⎝ S ⎠
• S = maximum number of stops
• n = number of people or car capacity

⎛ 4 −1⎞
S 1 = 4 − 4⎜ ⎟ = 3 . 3,
6

⎝ 4 ⎠
i.e. 3 stops
2. Upward journey time (Tu):

⎛ L ⎞
Tu = S 1 ⎜ + 2V ⎟
⎝ SV ⎠
where,
• L = lift travel, 4 x 3 = 12 m
• V = car speed, 2 ms-1

⎛ 12 ⎞
Tu = 3⎜⎜ + [2 x 2] ⎟⎟ = 16.5 s
⎝ 4x2 ⎠
3. Downward journey time (Td):

Td = + 2V = + [ 2 x 2 ] = 10 s
L 12
V 2

4. Passenger transfer time (Tp). Allow 2 – 3 s per person

to transfer, depending on the depth of car. At 2 s:

T p = 2n = 2 x 6 = 12 s
5. Door opening time (To). Assume door speed (Vd) = 0.5
ms-1 and door width (W) = 1.2 m:

T o = 2 (S 1 + 1) = 2 ( 3 + 1) = 19 . 2 s
W 1 .2
Vd 0 .5
6. Round trip time (RTT):

RTT = T u + T d + T p + T o
= 16.5 + 10 + 12 + 19.2 = 57.7 s
̈ Estimation of the interval and quality of service
̈ Example
̈ An office block with 20 storeys above ground floor having
a group of four lifts with unified starting and stopping
times is to have a floor area above the ground floor of
8000 m2 and floor height of 3 m. Each car of the lifts has
a capacity of 20 persons and a speed of 2.5ms-1. The
clear door width is to be 1.1 m and the doors are to open
at a speed of 0.4 ms-1. Estimate the interval and quality of
service that is to be provided.
1. Peak demand for a 5-minute period:
8000 m 2 × 17 %
= = 124 person
11m / person × 100
2

2. Car travel = 20 x 3 m = 60 m
3. Probable number of stops (S1):

⎛ S −1⎞
S1 = S − S ⎜ ⎟
n

where,
⎝ S ⎠
• S = maximum number of stops
• n = number of people or car capacity
(usually approximately 80% of capacity)

⎛ 20 − 1 ⎞
S1 = 20 − 20⎜ ⎟ = 11
16

⎝ 20 ⎠
4. Upward journey time (Tu):

⎛ L ⎞
Tu = S 1 ⎜ + 2V ⎟
⎝ SV ⎠
where,
• L = lift travel, 20 x 3 = 60 m
• V = car speed, 2.5 ms-1

⎛ 60 ⎞
Tu = 11⎜ + [2 × 2.5] ⎟ = 79 s
⎝ 11× 2.5 ⎠
5. Downward journey time (Td):

Td = + 2V
L
V

= + [2 × 2.5] = 29 s
60
2.5
6. Door operating time (To).
Door speed (Vd) = 0.4 ms-1
Door width (W) = 1.1 m:

To = 2 (S1 + 1) = 2 (11 + 1) = 66 s
W 1.1
Vd 0.4
7. The average time taken for each person to get into
and out of a lift car may be taken as 2 seconds.
Passenger transfer time (Tp) = 2n = 2 x 16 = 32 s

8. Round trip time (RTT)

= Tu + Td + T p + To
= 79 + 29 + 66 + 32 = 206 s
 5 mins × 60 × 4 × 20 × 0.8
9. Capacity of group =

= 93 persons per 5 minutes

206

10. Interval for the group = = 51.5s

206
4

The capacity of the group of lifts and the interval for the
group are satisfactory (Note: Car less than 12 capacity are
not satisfactory)
 Electric/ roped lifts
̈ In these elevators, the car is raised and
lowered by traction steel ropes rather
than pushed from below
̈ Components:
̈ 1 - Control system
̈ 2 - Electric motor
̈ 3 - Sheave
̈ 4 - Counterw eight
̈ 5 - Guide rails
 Motor

̈ Located in lift motor room

̈ On anti-vibrations
mountings
Lift motor on
motor room-less
lift
Motor room

Highly efficient permanent magnet (PM)

motors for high-speed and super high-
speed elevators (Mitsubishi)
 Roping
̈ High tensile steel ropes driven through
traction sheaves attached to the motor shaft,
a system of pulleys and a counterweight
̈ Available in various combinations to suit
different occupancy requirements
Single wrap 1 : 1
̈ The simplest but will be
prone to slipage if subjected
to heavy loads
Single wrap 2 : 1
̈ Improvement of single wrap
1:1
̈ Number of pulleys and the
wrapping ratios increased to
improve resistance to slipage
Single wrap 3 : 1
̈ More pulleys used
̈ Effect of wrap ratio on car speed
̈ as the ratio increases, the car speed decreases
̈ Alternative roping arrangements to maintain high
speeds and sufficient traction

Double wrap Underslung

̈ In very tall buildings the
effect of bounce and spring
from the rope load can be
balanced and compensated
with ropes suspended below
car and counterweight

Compensating ropes
Emergency braking

While moving the car is

retained upright and
carried smoothly by
guides and channel
each side

Car guide (plan view)

In the unlikely event of rope failure, an overspeed governing
mechanism will effect an immediate brake

Safety gear - alternatives

̈ The emergency brakes are
activated by a continuous rope
passing over a pulley in the pit and
an overspeed governor pulley in
the motor room.
̈ The governor locks in response to
The position of
flyweight inertia from the the governor
centrifugal force generated by rope and
excess speed, thus jerking the rope pulleys, relative
to car travel
in process.
̈ Active Roller Guide
(Mitsubishi)
̈ This greatly reduces
lateral vibration of high-
speed elevator.
̈ An accelerometer detects
car vibration during
operation and actuators
cancel the vibration with
optimally controlled
electromagnetic force.
̈ The result is much better
ride comfort than with a
conventional roller guide.
 Lift doors
̈ Required in two components:
̈ Fitted to the lift car
̈ Fitted to the landing
̈ Landing doors must be incombustible, preferably of
sheet steel construction over a light steel framework
of about 30 mm overall thickness
̈ They usually slide sideways (although vertical
movement is used for some industrial applications)
Door-opener
system
Various functions
of lift doors
 Vertical lift doors
Passenger and
service lift doors
̈ Multi-Beam Door Sensor
(Mitsubishi)
̈ Prevents passengers from being caught
by the doors, using multiple infrared
light beams mounted along the entire
length of car door edge. Doors reverse
and open if beams are blocked during
door closing
 Constructional dimensions
̈ Lifts manufactured to individual dimensional
specification are possible but very expensive
̈ BS 5655 provides standard dimensions which
have been coordinated with manufacturing
process and building applications to suit all
but extreme clients or obscure building
requirements
Section through typical
small car single lift well
 Machine/ Motor room
Normally located above
the well, containing:
̈ winding gear
̈ traction sheave
̈ control panel
̈ overspeed governor,
and
̈ other components

Section through lift motor room

̈ Noise from motors and winding gear must be contained with
adequate insulation and absorbent bedding for machinery
̈ An overhead universal beam for raising and lowering
equipment and parts during maintenance is essential
̈ Adequate daylighting and supplementary artificial light
̈ Fan assisted ventilation to remove excess heat from electric
plant
̈ A locked door (key with security staff) provides the only
access to the machine room, except for a trap-door over the
landing area – this is specifically for raising and lowering
items of machinery
 Pit
̈ Located below the lowest landing level,
containing buffers
̈ For slower lifts – spring-type buffers
̈ For higher-speed lifts – oil loaded buffers
̈ Depth of pit varies from 1.4 to 2.8 m,
depending on lift specification
 Brake
̈ The traction sheave drive shaft is fitted with an
electromechanical brake
̈ When the lift is moving, the electrically operated
brakes are lifted clear of the brake drum, but as the
electricity switches off to disengage the motor,
spring retainers activate the brake
̈ In addition to the overspeed governor, this provides
another safety feature which would activate if the
electricity supply failed
 Shaft
̈ A lift shaft should incorporate the following
features:
̈ Water tightness
̈ Means of drainage
̈ Plumb, vertical sides
̈ Smooth painted finish
̈ Ventilation void for emission of smoke
̈ Permanent inspection lights
̈ Have no other services except those necessary for
operation of lift
 Lift controls
̈ Possibilities of control arrangements:
̈ Operator
̈ Automatic
̈ Down collective
̈ Directional collective
̈ Group collective
̈ Programmed control
̈ Operator
̈ In prestige buildings and hotels for the benefit of special guests.
̈ Automatic
̈ Response to one call from either lift car or landing. No further calls
are accepted until the car is at rest.
̈ Only suited to light occupancy and low-rise buildings up to five floors.
̈ Down collective
̈ A call button is located at each landing entrance and a set of buttons
in the car corresponds to each floor.
̈ Landing calls are stored and answered in sequence as the lift car
descends.
̈ In upward direction, passengers are distributed in floor sequence by
selection within the car.
̈ Directional (up and down) collective
̈ Two call buttons are provided at each intermediate landing,
one for up and the other one for down.
̈ The lowest and the highest landings only require one button. A
full set of destination buttons are provided in the car.
̈ Landing callers simply press the direction button and the call is
stored
̈ On a downward journey, the lift stops at all floors where
downward callers are waiting or where passengers want to go
out.
̈ Likewise upward, operating in sequence in response to stored
calls.
̈ Group collective
̈ Applied where groups or banks of lifts occur in large
buildings, using an interconnected collective stored
control system
̈ This permits the closest lift traveling in the desired
direction to respond, rather than passengers waiting for
one specific lift or having to press every lift’s button.
̈ Programmed control
̈ This is an improvement of the group collective system,
incorporating time-controlled functions, where demand is
known to be particularly high on some floors at certain
times.
̈ The lift cars can be programmed to be available at the
ground floor during arrival times and at upper floors
during departure times.
̈ This lends itself to routines found in office blocks, where
regular hours are worked.
Elevator
buttons
 Hydraulic lifts
̈ Hydraulic lift/elevator
systems lift a car using a
hydraulic ram, a fluid-
driven piston mounted
inside a cylinder
̈ For low-rise buildings

Hydraulic lift
components
Oil hydraulic lift -
principles

Oil hydraulic lift - application

DOUBLE SI DE
ACTI NG

Oil hydraulic lift - variations

SI NGLE SI DE OR JI GGER
ACTI NG
Holeless Hydraulic (Otis)
̈ The Holeless Hydraulic system eliminates the
need for either a well hole or buried piping.
The best application for the Holeless product
is most any 2-story building with less than 14‘
(4.3 m) of travel from one floor to the other.
̈ Its above-ground Holeless configuration
responds effectively to the risk of soil and
groundwater contamination, and greatly
reduces environmental concerns. This
package-type unit is most practical for those
2-story buildings where handicap access is
required.
̈ Advantages of hydraulic lifts:
̈ Capacity for very heavy loads
̈ Accuracy in floor levelling
̈ Smooth ride characteristics
̈ Low-level plant room
̈ No structural loads from winding gear
̈ Pump room can be located up to 10 m from the
shaft
 Fire-fighting lifts
̈ For rapid emergency access
̈ The original concept was a variation within
conventional passenger lift, which contained
a priority break-glass key switch
̈ This was normally at the ground floor, and
when activated it brought the lift to that floor
immediately
̈ Independent fire-fighting
lifts are required in offices,
shops and other
commercial premises
exceeding 18 m in height

Typical fire-fighting
accommodation in a shaft located
no more than 60 m from any part
of that floor level
̈ Shared shaft fire-fighting lift – the lift must be marked for
that purpose only
̈ Requires specific provisions:
̈ 630 kg minimum duty load to accommodate fire-fighting equipment
̈ Minimum internal dimensions of 1100 mm width, 1400 mm depth and
2000 mm height
̈ An emergency hatch in the car roof
̈ Manufactured from non-combustible material
̈ A two-way intercom
̈ 1 hour fire-resisting doors of 800 mm minimum width x 2 m height
̈ A maximum of 60 s capability to run the full building height
̈ Dual power supplies, one direct mains and the other an emergency
generator
Fire-fighting lift – shared shaft Fire-fighting lift – control diagram
 Observation/ panoramic/
scenic lifts
̈ “Wall climber” lift
̈ The glass-walled cars provide a focus of interest for
the casual observer, a degree of security for
occupants, a mobile observation platform and floor
access for the user
̈ Very popular in atrium malls, complementing the
glass architecture
̈ These lightweight structures lend themselves to
hydraulic lifts, freeing the building designers from
superimposed motor room loadings
Observation lift
Panoramic lift design
Panoramic lift
applications
 Paternoster
̈ A paternoster or paternoster lift
is an elevator which consists of a
chain of open compartments (each
usually designed for two persons)
that move slowly in a loop up and
down inside a building without
stopping
̈ Passengers who are agile enough
can step on or off at any floor they
like
̈ The speed is limited to no more
than 0.4 ms-1 for safety reason
̈ Not suitable in public
buildings and other
locations where the
elderly and infirm are
likely to gain access
̈ Most suited to single
occupancy buildings
such as offices, where
familiarity with the
system and a high
degree of staff mobility Paternoster
is a feature lift
Paternoster lifts
 Stair lift
̈ A means of vertical transport in homes for the elderly and
disabled, hospitals and conventional homes containing
physically infirm people
̈ Developed for simple application to domestic chairs
̈ The chair moves up an inclined rail parallel with the stair
gradient at about 0.15 ms-1 powered by 230 V AC electric
motor
̈ The rail is a standard steel joist bracketed to the wall and
supported by the stair
̈ Transformed 24 V DC controls provide push-button
directional and stop facilities
Stair lift – approximate dimensions
 Other types of lifts
̈ Double-deck elevators
̈ They are elevators designed such that
two elevator cars are attached one on
top of the other. This allows
passengers on two consecutive floors
to be able to use the elevator
simultaneously, significantly increasing
the passenger capacity of an elevator
shaft. Such a scheme can prove
efficient in buildings where the volume
of traffic would normally have a single
elevator stopping at every floor.
̈ Example: Lifts at Menara Telekom,
Taipei 101 Taipei 101
̈ Freight elevator
̈ An elevator designed to
carry goods, rather
than passengers
̈ Car elevator
̈ An elevator designed to carry cars (e.g. for parking)
̈ Dumbw aiter
̈ A small box elevator designed for the
carriage of lightweight freight is called a
dumb waiter (or dumbwaiter)

Service lift/Dumbwaiter
̈ Platform lift
̈ For disable
̈ Aircratft elevator
ESCALATORS
̈ An escalator is a conveyor transport device for transporting
people, consisting of a staircase whose steps move up or
down on tracks that keep the surfaces of the individual steps
horizontal
̈ Where large numbers of people are anticipated, such as
airports and railway terminals, department stores and
shopping malls, several escalators will be required and can
be grouped in a number of ways to suit the building
functions
̈ The angle of inclination is normally 30o, but may increase to
35o if the vertical rise does not exceed 6 m and the speed is
limited to 0.5 ms-1
 Escalator
arrangements
Escalator dimensions
Escalator’s components
̈ Step Speed
̈ Escalator speeds vary from
about 90 feet per minute to
180 feet per minute (27 to
55 meters per minute)
̈ An escalator moving 145
feet (44 m) per minute can
carry more than 10,000
people an hour -- many
more people than a
standard elevator

The individual steps from an escalator

Westminster escalator Long escalator in Washington Metro
 Spiral escalator

Conventional
escalator
 Escalator capacity

The following formula can be used to ascertain capacity and

compare efficiencies and suitability of escalators at building

3600 x P x V x cos θ
design stage:

N=
L
Where,
• N = number of persons moved per hour
• P = number of persons per step
• V = escalator speed (ms-1)
• L = length of step (m)
• θ = angle of incline
̈ Example
̈ An escalator of 30o incline, one passenger per step, a
speed of 0.5 ms-1 and 400 mm tread or step length

N =
o
3600 x 1 x 0 .5 x cos 30
0 .4

= 4500 x cos 30o

= 3897 nos. persons moved per hour
 Spread of fire
̈ The void containing escalators could encourage fire
to spread rapidly through building. Therefore the
following precautions could be considered:
̈ Sprinklers, installed to provide a continuous curtain of
water down the escalator void
̈ Fire curtains or shutter mechanism released by fusible link
or smoke relay to seal the top of the escalator shaft
̈ Compartmentalisation or separation of escalators into a
well or fire-protected enclosure
TRAVELATORS
̈ A moving w alkw ay, moving sidew alk, or travelator is a
slow conveyor belt that transports people horizontally up to
the practical limitations of about 300 m.
̈ They work in a similar manner to an escalator. In both
cases, riders can walk or stand. The walkways are often
supplied in pairs, one for each direction.
̈ They are particularly useful in large railways and airports
terminals, as well shopping complexes, and may be inclined
up to about 15o where level differentials occurs.
̈ Speed range between 0.6 and 1.3 ms-1, limitations being
imposed because of the difficulty in getting off.
̈ Combine with walking, the overall pace could be about 2.5
ms-1.
̈ Materials for travelators must be flexible or elastic and
include reinforced rubber or composites and interlaced steel
plates or trellised steel.
̈ The latter two have the facility to deviate from the
conventional straight line.
 Parisian high speed walkway

Inclined
travelator
 REFERENCES
̈ Greeno, R.(1997). Building Services, Technology and Design.
Essex: Longman.
̈ Hall, F. & Greeno, R. (2005). Building Services Handbook.
Oxford: Elsevier.
̈ http://science.howstuffworks.com
̈ http://en.wikipedia.org
̈ http://www.mitsubishi-
elevator.com/products/elevators/gpm_iii/index.html
̈ http://www.imem.com/en/s2/2a3.htm