Self-powered vibration control for elevator ropes during an earthquake

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K18186
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Building structures/Materials
• Research Institution: Kyoto Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: MIURA NANAKO 京都工芸繊維大学, 機械工学系, 助教 (80735340)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: エレベータ / ロープスウェイ / 振動制御 / 地震応答

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Although elevators can not be used during an earthquake in Japan, it becomes more important challenge to use them for evacuation from a vibrating high-rise building. In this study, an active vibration control of a time-varying elevator system for evacuation during an earthquake is proposed.
The proposed active vibration control device is installed at the compensating sheave. When an elevator car moves upward or downward, the active device can add tension on elevator ropes depending on mode responses of each rope. The control method is also based on big data about an earthquake early warning. The control system changes parameters by calculating area of the velocity response spectrum as an earthquake early warning. The effectiveness of the proposed control is verified by numerical simulations.

Free Research Field

振動制御

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では「避難にエレベータを活用する」避難安全対策を地震時に拡張するための技術を提案した。高齢者や障害者が超高層建物から避難する際に階段を使うのは相当数の介助者が必要であり、現実的ではない。また、マンションの場合、しばらく復旧の目処がつかない場合には生活自体が困難となり、避難所の設置や救援活動等経済的な損失も大きくなる。本研究で得られた成果は、エレベータロープの地震応答を低減させることにより地震後のエレベータの機能維持を達成し、地震後の速やかな復旧、さらに地震中の避難（エレベータ稼動）に貢献するものである。