Seismic Model Test And Numerical Simulation Of Elevator Counterweight System

As the main means of transport in high-rise buildings, the seismic performance of the elevator is crucial which is directly related to the safety of life, the evacuation of important equipment and the speed of rescue and relief. In earthquake, the counterweight system is the most vulnerable part in the elevators. Current elevator standards, regulations on the seismic performance of the elevator counterweight system is rough. The seismic design of the elevator, especially elevator counterweight system, is a weak link in the seismic design of building. It is necessary to strengthen the research on the seismic design of the counterweight system.In this paper, a dynamic model test for a two-floor rail counterweight system, which was intercepted from a high-rise building structure, was carried out on a shaking table. The seismic performance and damage characteristic of rail counterweight system were studied by means of numerical simulation methods.In the experiment, various conditions such as exciting frequency, excitation direction, positions of counterweight frame, with and without retaining devices were all taken into account. Through the time history seismic analysis of a high-rise frame tube structure using ANSYS, we got the maximal acceleration amplification factor of the building and then determined the input earthquake intensity of the model test. In order to compare the responses of the model under different earthquake waves, we selected three earthquake waves (one man-made wave and two natural waves) with the same acceleration amplitude and different duration. We obtained the natural frequencies of the model under white noise excitation; the rule of each order vibration response of the model is determined by regular wave excitation; the dynamic response of the model is determined under seismic wave excitation. Combining with the code for elevator seismic design, we also did quantitative evaluation on the impact of installing retaining devices on the structure under the above three seismic waves.The finite element model of the test counterweight system was established with consideration of contact nonlinearity by the ANSYS program. The seismic time history analysis of structure was carried out. The results of the numerical test and laboratory test are compared.The above work not only provides a reference for the next extended numerical model, but also provides basic data for the further understanding of the seismic performance of the elevator to the heavy system. This paper will help the designers and manufacturers of the rail-counterweight systems understand why elevators behave as they do in earthquakes and will help them evaluate the modification or design changes that may be necessary to improve their seismic performance.