Importance of Zoning for Vertical Circulation Planning of Densely Populated Buildings: A Simulation Based Approach for Elevator Traffic Analyses

Abstract

Elevator systems are essential in multi-story buildings, affecting circulation, travel time, and user comfort. Traditional design methods, based on mathematical calculations, provide initial estimates of elevator numbers and capacities by considering basic operational criteria. However, these methods cannot fully capture dynamic passenger flows and temporal variations in demand. Dynamic simulation-based elevator traffic analysis, on the other hand, allows for more comprehensive evaluation of elevator operations and enables testing of alternative zoning scenarios. In this study, a dynamic simulation-based analysis is applied as a case study for a hospital outpatient building. Different zoning strategies are implemented for elevator groups to evaluate their effect on system performance. Performance criteria, including Average Waiting Time (AWT), Average Time To Destination (ATTD), and Interval (INT), are assessed across different zoning scenarios and compared with values commonly reported in the literature. The results highlight the potential of zoning to improve elevator performance, including passenger handling, waiting times, and travel efficiency. Especially in buildings where physical modifications are difficult, the combination of simulation-based analysis and carefully designed zoning strategies can reveal the potential for enhancing operational performance and optimizing elevator efficiency within existing physical constraints.