Prefabricated Elevator Shaft Retrofitting Building Stairwells
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for retrofitting buildings with elevator systems often require extensive construction time and access difficulties, especially in multi-story buildings with shared staircases, which hinders barrier-free access for individuals with mobility issues and complicates the integration of prefabricated shafts without affecting the building's statics.
Innovation Solution
A prefabricated elevator shaft with a self-supporting sheet metal box, extending over multiple floors, featuring a steel plate that runs in a straight line and is profiled orthogonally, allowing for external attachment and integration of an elevator platform to bridge the distance between the cabin and the building, enabling barrier-free access and reduced construction time by covering the entire stairwell width.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a traditional concrete or steel shaft structure is erected on-site, then the elevator system can be installed, but the construction time extends to several weeks and access to the building is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The elevator shaft is segmented into modular components that can be manufactured separately and assembled on-site. The shaft is divided into multiple sections that can be transported and installed in a standardized sequence, significantly reducing on-site construction time while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft components are pre-manufactured off-site with all necessary connections and reinforcements already in place. This preliminary preparation allows for rapid assembly on-site, transforming a weeks-long construction process into a matter of days, thereby reducing access restrictions and construction time.
2Strength
If the shaft is built on-site traditionally, then structural integrity can be ensured, but the building's usage is significantly disrupted during construction
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the shaft into modular sections, the installation process becomes less intrusive. Each section can be installed independently with minimal disruption to building operations, while the standardized connection systems ensure structural integrity is maintained throughout the assembly process.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs temporary support structures and modular components that can be quickly installed and removed. These short-living construction elements facilitate rapid installation while minimizing long-term disruption to building accessibility and usage.
3Loss of time
If a prefabricated shaft is used, then assembly time is reduced, but the shaft must be braced against the building affecting its statics
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft is designed as a segmented modular structure where each section contributes to the overall stability. This segmentation allows the shaft to be self-supporting during installation, eliminating the need for external bracing that would affect building statics, while maintaining rapid assembly capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection systems between modular shaft sections are designed to be dynamically adjustable, allowing the shaft to adapt its structural configuration during installation. This dynamic design enables the shaft to achieve structural stability without requiring permanent bracing against the building, preserving building statics while maintaining assembly speed.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for retrofitting a building with an elevator system 26 and a component set for carrying out the method. The shaft 27 of the elevator system 26 extends over at least two floors 3 and comprises a self-supporting sheet metal box made of at least one steel plate, which is designed to accommodate a cabin 36 of the elevator system 26 together with its guides and drive devices. The sheet metal box of the shaft 27 has a profiled cross-section which, in the plane of the cross-section within the sheet metal box, forms a cross-sectional area that essentially includes the area required by the cabin 36 and its guides and drive devices, as well as the area of an elevator platform 35 for bridging a gap between the cabin 36 and the building. The method according to the invention for retrofitting a building with such an elevator system comprises the following process steps: - Prefabrication of the elevator system 26,- Constructing a foundation 14 for the elevator system 26 in front of the front 1 of the building, - Opening the front 1 of the building to the width of the stairwell 5, - Removing the intermediate landings 8 and the double-flight staircase 9, - Installing walkways 24 at the level of the main landings 7, extending horizontally from the main landings 7 to the front 1 of the building and only partially covering the cross-section of the stairwell 5 to allow sufficient space for a staircase, - Installing a single-flight staircase 22, which connects the individual walkways 24 and together with them forms a modified stairwell, - Erecting the elevator system 26 on the foundation 14, - Aligning the elevator system 26 on the foundation 14 and attaching the elevator system 26 to the front 1 of the building, - Creating a connection between the elevator landings 35 and the walkways 24 of each floor 3,- Creating access to elevator platform 35 on the ground floor from outside the building.