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<p>Because of rapid urbanization and increasing global population density, elevators have become indispensable in high-density metropolitan areas. Rising demand for residential and commercial spaces has driven the widespread construction of elevators, leading to enhancements in vertical mobility and accessibility. However, earthquake-induced elevator failures pose critical safety hazards and often result in occupant entrapment. Reports from major seismic events in Taiwan, the United States, and Japan highlight the growing frequency of such incidents, underscoring the urgent need for rapid post-earthquake damage assessment to support effective disaster response. The present study developed a post-earthquake elevator risk analysis model based on a multidimensional building framework. A three-dimensional (3D) model was constructed by integrating property tax data for Wanhua District, Taipei, Taiwan, with building attributes for this area (e.g., building floor area, construction year, and number of floors). The number of elevators was then estimated on the basis of building type (residential vs. nonresidential). Next, vulnerability curves were plotted for simulated earthquake scenarios to evaluate structural damage, predict elevator failures, and estimate potential occupant entrapments. Subsequently, the obtained results were input to a 3D visualization platform to identify high-risk zones in which elevators were most susceptible to seismic impact. In contrast to existing elevator risk assessment frameworks, which typically focus on individual buildings or single failure mechanisms, this study integrated structural damage, power outage effects, and elevator usage characteristics to quantify elevator failure and occupant entrapment risks at both the building and neighborhood scales, thereby transforming elevator risk assessment into an operational, 3D-enabled decision support tool for post-earthquake response. The results of this study indicate the adaptability and applicability of the proposed approach in seismic risk analysis. The research findings provide actionable insights for local governments in terms of their disaster preparedness, resource allocation, and emergency rescue planning, offering a valuable reference for urban seismic risk management.</p>

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Assessing vertical vulnerabilities in urban elevator safety under seismic scenarios

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月1日

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  • Chih-Hao Hsu,
  • Siao-Syun Ke

摘要

Because of rapid urbanization and increasing global population density, elevators have become indispensable in high-density metropolitan areas. Rising demand for residential and commercial spaces has driven the widespread construction of elevators, leading to enhancements in vertical mobility and accessibility. However, earthquake-induced elevator failures pose critical safety hazards and often result in occupant entrapment. Reports from major seismic events in Taiwan, the United States, and Japan highlight the growing frequency of such incidents, underscoring the urgent need for rapid post-earthquake damage assessment to support effective disaster response. The present study developed a post-earthquake elevator risk analysis model based on a multidimensional building framework. A three-dimensional (3D) model was constructed by integrating property tax data for Wanhua District, Taipei, Taiwan, with building attributes for this area (e.g., building floor area, construction year, and number of floors). The number of elevators was then estimated on the basis of building type (residential vs. nonresidential). Next, vulnerability curves were plotted for simulated earthquake scenarios to evaluate structural damage, predict elevator failures, and estimate potential occupant entrapments. Subsequently, the obtained results were input to a 3D visualization platform to identify high-risk zones in which elevators were most susceptible to seismic impact. In contrast to existing elevator risk assessment frameworks, which typically focus on individual buildings or single failure mechanisms, this study integrated structural damage, power outage effects, and elevator usage characteristics to quantify elevator failure and occupant entrapment risks at both the building and neighborhood scales, thereby transforming elevator risk assessment into an operational, 3D-enabled decision support tool for post-earthquake response. The results of this study indicate the adaptability and applicability of the proposed approach in seismic risk analysis. The research findings provide actionable insights for local governments in terms of their disaster preparedness, resource allocation, and emergency rescue planning, offering a valuable reference for urban seismic risk management.