Modeling and estimation of damping and stiffness characteristics of lift passengers

This paper presents a study into the testing methods to estimate rated damping and stiffness characteristics of lift passengers. In prediction of the dynamic behaviour of a lift car system, it is important to take into account the influence of passengers' behaviour in the car. An experimental rig with a rectangular elevator car platform supported by four silent blocks attached to a shaker is designed to conduct experimental tests. The platform with no load and loaded with one passenger from a sample of twelve passengers of different age, mass and height, wearing various types of shoes, is excited harmonically over a range of frequencies and amplitudes. A mathematical model of the system is developed and the vertical acceleration transmissibility function is derived. The experimental results are compared with predictions obtained from the mathematical model. Then statistical treatment is applied to estimate the rated damping and rated stiffness characteristics of lift passengers