Quality Wins Project of the Year

1 Elevators, New Construction

Category

Icon Tower, Oslo, Norway

Project Year of the 2013

submitted by Kyrre Sagen, Myhre Heis & Elektro AS

T he Icon Tower is located in the center of Oslo, Norway. Previously known as Tjuvhol- men, the property was once used as a wharf. Due to the development of the ship in- dustry and political action, officials decided to implement an architectural competition to develop the area. Constructor Selvaag and real-estate developer Aspelin Ramm received the project as a joint partnership named Tjuvholmen Utvikling AS. The shape of the area was designed by architect Niels Torp. One of the development’s main premises was an observation tower, which would be accessible for all. The idea stems from the area’s history. In 1938, the handcraft and industry union erected an observation tower; however, it was taken down shortly after. The new tower is said to represent the ar- ea’s 100th anniversary. In 2008, elevator and electrical company Myhre Heis & Elektro AS was asked to partici- pate in the development of the tower. In 2010, the first drawings were completed, and all

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technical details concerning the steel tower’s construction and eleva- tor installation were finished in September 2011. The tower was man- ufactured and shipped in four pieces and installed onsite. Pulley beams in the head of the shaft and all brackets for the eleva- tor were installed on the ground prior to the leveling of the structure. The installation was completed after the shaft was closed. The shaft is made of six vertical tubes connected with a continuous helix, forming a corkscrew. To make the steel construction static enough, there is one straight diagonal between each connection of the verticals and helix. Outside the steel construction, there is glass, which follows the geometric shape of the helix and the six verticals. The Zetasyn SM700 machine was placed in the pit behind the coun- terweight to maximize use of the area in the shaft. The safety screen in front of the machine is in glass to show the function of the elevator. The counterweight is painted green to highlight the physics of a trac- tion lift, making it visible from a distance as it travels. The 2:1 acting fork lift construction with guide rails on one side of the car gives a maximum car size in the circular shaft. The guiderail installation was designed to take the acting forces, as the tower will sway slightly during strong winds. There is only one landing door. The elevator goes full speed up to 26 m, then operates in crawling speed for the last 20 m, allowing the passengers to enjoy the view of the city on the way to the top. After a short pause on the top, the elevator trav- els downward at full speed. The car is fully panoramic, and the ceiling is also made of glass, providing a spectacular view inside the helix formation during travel. The lighting in the car is located in the opaque glass floor. The straight glass wall in the back of the car features a switchable smart glass, which is opaque until the height of 25 m to cover the view until the elevator is above the nearby apartment building. As the elevator comes above the roof of the apartment building, the glass switches to transparent, revealing the view to the west. There is a frameless glass hatch in the ceiling to access the roof of

Looking up from pit at car and green counterweight

Specifications Capacity: 630 kg/eight persons Speed: 1.6 mps Stops: Two Services: One Travel: 46.5 m Guide rails: T125 X 82 X 16 Ropes: 6 X 8 mm Machine: Ziehl Abegg SM700

the car. The hatch is also useful in case of an emergency evacua- tion. Since there is only one landing door, it is possible to evacuate with skylift or ladder platforms. Due to the straight diagonals, which stabilize the tower, there was no space for two-panel, center-opening doors. There- fore, Sematic specially designed a new single-panel, side-open- ing glass door with the operator below the sill for this project. An operator is present at all times to collect tickets and start the elevator. The operating of the elevator works with a re- mote control. The operator is trained to start the evacuation procedure in case of an emer- gency stop. c

Motor: 12 kW, 29 A, 400 V Doors: 900 X 2,300 mm Cabin: Radius: 940 mm, height: 2,300 mm Credits

Installer: Myhre Heis & Elektro AS Supplier: LM Liftmaterial GmbH Manufacturer (car and door): Sematic S.R.L. Manufacturer (controller, car and landing panels): NewLift Steuerungsbau GmbH

Entrance and machine view

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Escalators, New Construction 3

Category

Project Year of the 2013

P ut in service in 1876, Istanbul’s Tünel subterranean urban rail line is the second old- est in the world (after London). However, despite the fact that several plans and studies were made for new routes following the first line, they were put on hold until 1987. Construction of the Istanbul Metro on the European side of the city began in 1992, but due to construction delays from the numerous archeological sites discovered during the drilling process, the first part of the system was not opened until 2000. Currently, Istanbul Metro is an important part of the city’s rail network, which consists of light rail, tramway, funicular and commuter rail. Twenty km of its fully underground line is in operation, and 24 km (with 22 stations) more is under construction. Levent-Ayazag˘a Metro, Lot 2 is one of the system’s major routes on the European side. The line is part of the M2 route and connected across approximately 20 km to S¸is¸hane station in Beyog˘lu. Lot 2 consists of three underground stations, including Hacıosman Station, having the largest number of passenger-transportation units in the entire metro network. This station is lo- cated on the way to Tarabya from Maslak, one of the main traffic axes of the city. High passenger demand in this station is met with the installation of 48 escalators and four el- evators at seven different floor levels. ThyssenKrupp Elevator Turkey was awarded the escalator contract for Lot 2 in June 2008. Although the contract initially included only two stations, Hacıosman Station was added to its scope in the last quarter of 2009. Supply of such a large number of units in one station required vigorous planning. Installation, tests and commissioning stages were car- ried out as smoothly as possible. ThyssenKrupp Elevator supplied its Tugela escalator, developed for operation at trade fairs, congress centers, airports and railway stations. It is suitable for continuous opera- HacıosmanMetro Station, Istanbul, Turkey submitted by Begoña Flores, ThyssenKrupp Elevator Southern Europe, Africa and Middle East

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Specifications Number of units: 48 Rise: 4,175-12,024 mm Inclination: 30° Pallet width: 1,000 mm Speed: 0.5 mps for < 9,000-mm rise; 0.65 mps for > 9,000-mm rise Arrangement: Single Working condition: Reversible Flat step: Three Power supply: 220/380 V at 50 Hz, three-phase Steps/pallets: Die-cast aluminum step, silver/gray powder coated Corrosion protection main truss: Galvanized Bottom plate: 5-mm galvanized bottom-plate soffit Balustrade: 2-mm 304-ga. stainless steel Skirt: 3-mm steel sheet with black anti-friction coating for indoor escalators; 2-mm 304-ga. stainless steel for outdoor escalators Combplates and cover plates: Ribbed aluminumwith black grooves Handrail: Black with nylon lining Handrail guide rail: Stainless steel Drive: Wormgear with flanged IP54VVVFmotor, duplex chain Step-chain lubrication: With lubrication device Standard: EN 115-2004 Control: programmable-logic controller with diagnostic device and fault display Radius of transition: Bottom: 2,000 mm, top: 2,600 mm for R ≤ 10 m escalators; bottom: 2,000 mm, top: 3,000 mm for R > 10 m escalators Protective covers: Included for step and drive chains, and motor flywheel Contacts: 10, voltage free (in controller) Fault display: One in interior decking profile top Cable: Halogen free Key switches: Both landings Brakes: Brake function indicators and auxiliary brake on main shaft for all units Credits Owner: Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Client/contractor: Alarko Makyol Joint Venture Consultant: Yüksel Proje Uluslar arası A.S¸ . Metro system operator: Ulas¸ ım A.S¸ . Equipment manufacturer: ThyssenKrupp Airport Systems Co. (Zhongshan) Ltd. Equipment installer: ThyssenKrupp Elevator Turkey Head of project management: Volkan Sofuoglu of ThyssenKrupp Elevator Turkey

tion in both directions. Working 20 hr. a day and seven days a week, the product’s operational life is estimated at approximately 25 years. Six of the units are designated “class II,” while the remaining 42, located on the inside of the station, are designed for indoor use. All units are equipped with variable-voltage, variable- frequency (VVVF) energy frequency converters. VVVF saves energy by reducing speed when no passengers are being carried. The moving step band permanently signals the escalator is ready, and a light barrier in the skirt con- trols the speed. When a passenger walks through the light barrier, the escalator switches from idling to nominal speed. With VVVF, energy consumption of the units can be decreased by significant percentages. Hacıosman Station’s seven floors necessitated the es- calators’ rise between 4,175 and 12,024 mm. Those with a rise of up to 7,000 mm were installed without interme- diate support, while one support was used for units with a 7,000-12,000-mm rise, and two supports were used for those with a higher rise. The project was also made unique due to it being the largest order for one station in the Istanbul Metro, and short delivery and installation time, with work completed in May 2011. c

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4

Escalators, Modernization

Category

Project Year of the 2013

Completed EcoMod installation

Cobo Convention Center, Detroit, Michigan

submitted by Brian Diviney, KONE

K nown as one of the nation’s largest convention centers, the Cobo Convention Center is undergoing a US$299-million expansion and upgrade. Phase 1 of the project included the modernization of 12 of the existing 30-year-old glass-balustrade escalators. KONE was awarded the contract in 2010 and completed the phase in 2011. Building owner Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority began project discussions in 2009. The existing equipment was in a state of disrepair, and a complete escalator replace- ment was originally considered. However, such an approach presented various challenges. KONE then partnered with the center to review the site conditions and determine the best course of action. From an accessibility point of view, there were numerous challenges presented by a com- plete escalator replacement. The equipment in question served four different levels of the facil- ity, and multiple access points would have to be created in the exterior of the building to get the old units out and new ones in. In addition, the proximity of many of the units inside the existing structure presented significant (if not impossible) rigging and hoisting challenges. In addition to the accessibility issues, a complete replacement would have added general construction costs. Though the escalators’ exterior cladding were primarily drywall, several other factors would have contributed to added costs if a replacement had been implemented. Many of the escalators had operating vendor and retail locations directly underneath them, all

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of which would have needed to have been shut down, de- molished and rebuilt to accommodate the truss removal and replacement process. In addition, the size of the exist- ing escalator wellways may have required increases in some locations, which would also have added structural modification costs. Another concern of the customer’s was that of the level of disruption to business activities should a complete re- placement occur. It was critical for the facility to remain in complete operation. A replacement would have created sig- nificant traffic-flow problems, unacceptable noise levels and construction debris, as well as consumed a large amount of floor space, which would have been needed to provide pro- tective barricades and hoisting needs. After reviewing the site, KONE outlined the advantages of its EcoMod™ solution and the installation process. The so- lution met the needs and was approved for the project. The modules and equipment were brought through the existing doors without causing any damage in the building’s curtain wall. All 12 escalators were modernized in three phases and simplified the building’s traffic flow, because it enabled side- by-side units to be modernized at separate times. Businesses located under the escalators continued to operate through- out the installation, and all existing cladding and structural conditions remained intact, leaving minimal debris. c

Credits Owner: Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority Management company: SMG Elevator consultant: National Elevator Consultants, Inc. Installer: KONE (Detroit project team)

Escalator trusses

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5

Moving Walks

Category

Project Year of the 2013

L ocated in Bursa, Turkey, the Bursaray Üniversite Station is part of the Bursa Light Rail System project, which is considered one of the main transportation axes of the city. The system consists of two sections (A and B) and 23 stations, five of which are un- derground. Section C, also called the University line, has a 6.5-km-long track and features six stations, including Üniversite Station. Bursa Metropolitan Municipality (BMM), the authority behind the rail project, decided to accommodate the university station with moving walks along the tunnel that connects the entry and exit levels. In 2010, ThyssenKrupp Elevator (Turkey) was awarded a contract to supply a moving-walk system. However, due to the ongoing rail project, escalator con- struction had to be kept to a minimum. ThyssenKrupp Elevator chose its iwalk solution, because it can be installed with a minimum pit depth of 38 cm and placed onto an existing surface without a pit. The installation of the iwalk systems was completed in September 2011 and enabled the contractor to save on costs. Though the system was the first such project in Bursa, the BMM is considering the installation of more iwalks throughout various parts of the city. c MovingWalks at Bursaray Üniversite Station, Bursa, Turkey submitted by Begoña Flores, ThyssenKrupp Elevator Southern Europe, Africa and Middle East

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Specifications Number of units: Two Length: 50 m Incline: 0° Pallet width: 1,400 mm Speed: 0.65 mps

Standard: EN 115-1:2008 Conditions of use: Class 1 Voltage and Frequency

Motors: 380 V Lighting: 230 V Frequency: 50 Hz Balustrade

iwalk moving walk in Bursaray Üniversite Station

Balustrade: Transparent rectangular safety glass Decking (except under handrail profile): Satin- finished stainless steel Handrail guides: Galvanized steel Handrail: Black rubber steel cord Skirting panels: Satin-finished stainless steel Floor and combplates: Planed, grooved aluminum Safety Control and Devices Handrail speed sensor Missing step/pallet sensor Open machinery-space safety switch Ten potential free contacts Programmable circuit-board controller Credits Owner: Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Client/contractor: Yapi Merkezi I˙ns¸aat ve Sanayi A.S¸ . Consultant: Kaiser Engineering Consultancy Co. Inc. Equipment manufacturer: ThyssenKrupp Norte Equipment installer: ThyssenKrupp Elevator Turkey

iwalk

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6

Inclined Elevators

Category

Project Year of the 2013

InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, Danang City, Vietnam submitted by Mark Galvin, Access Automation, Ltd.

T he InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort is located in an isolated cove a few kilometers north of Danang City, Vietnam. The resort comprises a large complex of beachfront villas, 192 rooms, conference facilities and restaurants built over a north- facing slope, which provides views of the private cove and the South China Sea. The challenge for Access Automation, Ltd. was to design, manufacture and install an in- clined-elevator system for guests and resort staff to access the steep topography. The solu- tion involved developing two custom-designed, multi-gradient inclined elevators that run through the center of the resort. The two elevators are named the “Nam Trams.” Created by the architect, the name reflects how the installations were blended into the contemporary/ Asian architecture that characterizes the resort. Both the aesthetic and engineering challenges of the project were substantial. From a functional viewpoint, the elevators needed to run through the heart of the resort to provide convenient access and connection between the villas and facilities. Being such a central feature of the resort, the elevators needed to be designed to blend with the environment. Working closely with the architects, Bensley Design Studios, Access Automation designed the cars to look like traditional Vietnamese fishing boats gliding through the resort. The car’s exteriors are handcrafted rattan-skinned boats that sit unobtrusively in their surroundings.

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gradients vary from 48° to 22°, with 15-m radius transition sections. The large radius bends and carefully calculated rates of change of curvature at the entry and exit of the bends allow the cars to negotiate the changes in gradient at the full design speed of 1.5 mps without any destabiliz- ing accelerations imposed on the passengers. The use of high-speed, self-leveling cars was essential on this project to allow the developer to connect the required levels and meet the elevator capacity. The rail geometry incorporates both concave and convex bends. On the convex gradient changes, the towing rope drops into the sheave rollers. However, on the concave gradient changes, the rope needs to be captured to keep it parallel with the rail line. The me- chanical design of this detail is complex, as there is mini- mal room to mount the sheaves between the floor of the car and the rail. The sheave assemblies are monitored by safety switches to check for correct rope engagement. Structural Design of Rail and Foundations The design of the rail structure also presented chal- lenges. The top section of the rail is elevated 12 m above ground and must withstand 200-kph wind speeds. In addi- tion, the thermal cycling between cold and wet weather and the height of summer temperatures means the rail structure can expand and contract by as much as 60 mm.

Continued

Construction of the foundation frames

Embodied under the rattan skins are modern control sys- tems and features that allow the cars to safely and smoothly negotiate the three gradients of the 130-m-long tracks. The project layout required the top section of the rail structure to be elevated 12 m above ground. This presented a challenge, because crane access was unavailable, and the structure needed to be robust enough to withstand wind speeds in excess of 200 kph. The marine environ- ment, temperatures and monsoon rains also required de- manding specifications. To meet the demands, Access Au- tomation completely re-engineered several structural elements. The pair of 130-m-long multi-gradient rail struc- tures needed to maintain a high level of geometric preci- sion but had to be able to safely deflect, in a controlled manner, in typhoon winds and during thermal cycling. The tall rail sections under construction give an idea of the scale of the structural elements involved. To be able to in- stall such a massive structure without a crane, a large zip- line was built. Self-Leveling Technology At the center of each inclined elevator is Access Auto- mation’s self-leveling bogie system. It is a mechanical- based leveling system that uses rail geometry to keep the car level as it operates on different rail gradients. The rail

Zip-line construction

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6

Inclined Elevators

Category

InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, Danang City, Vietnam

Project Year of the 2013

Nam Tram installations

Continued

Further complicating matters was the fact that crane access was not available on site, limit- ing the maximum weight of any component to 450 kg (the limit of the zip-line system). The first challenge of stabilizing the 12-m-tall foundations was achieved by connecting the east and west cable-car frames into a common structure with diagonal braces. Finite element analysis was used to optimize the weight of critical foundation components, and tower lengths were broken into bolt-together sections of appropriate weight. Considerable re- search was required to develop a movable rail joint to accommodate smooth, quiet and serviceable thermal expansion. The pairs of rail joints are all herringbone cut, so there is no perceivable bump as the wheels pass over the gap in the joins. 3D CAD Crucial to the success of this project was the use of 3D computer-aided design (CAD) modeling, both in the initial marketing/concept presentation phase and manufacture. The methodology used for manufacture was to obtain accurate topographical data from the project surveyor. From this data, the detailed design was carried out using SolidWorks 3D design package to ensure the structure would fit on site. The CAD models are also used to

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Car interior

tical to use a single rope with a high factor of safety. Even so, when the car is at the bottom, there is approximately 160 m of rope deployed. To prevent the cab level from creeping up or down as passengers enter or exit, an ac- tive control system is used to keep the car aligned with the deck level. A closed-loop control system is used on the motor inverter so subtle changes in motor/winch drum position are possible while the car is being loaded. Communication between the car and main control sys- tem is via a failsafe radio link. c Specifications Number of inclined elevator systems: Two Rail length (per elevator): 130 m Dual rails structure: Two off Rail gradients: Three (48°, 22.5° and 48°) Bogie system: Access Automation self leveling Design wind speed (structural): 56-mps ultimate design state Car speed: 1.5 mps Elevator capacity (per elevator): 300 people per hour Car maximum payload: 750 kg Number of landings per elevator: Four Winch system: Drumwinch with 30-kWmotor and variable- speed drive Rope: 16 mm, 160 kN MBL Credits Installer: Access Automation Hotel operator: InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Owner and developer: Sun Group, Vietnam Architect: Bensley Design Studios

Elevator car

generate the laser cutting files for the prefabricated rail- transition sections. Next, the rail structure was manufac- tured in New Zealand as a kit set that could be broken down to 5-m-long modules for sea freighting to Vietnam. These rail modules were bolted together on site over an eight-week construction period. Range of Involvement Access Automation was closely involved with various aspects of the elevator project over a limited timeframe. It made the initial site visit and worked with the client’s ar- chitect and engineer to develop the project layout and specification that met the resort’s needs. In addition, it provided rail and foundation structural designs, R&D and construction design of the mechanical parts, manufac- tured all electrical and mechanical elevator components, and installed and commissioned the equipment. In many ways, the most interesting challenge of the project was turning the architect’s vision of the Vietnam- ese fishing boat into a safe and functional elevator cab. The dilemma was for the exterior of the car to have a rus- tic, hand-finished appearance, while not compromising passenger comfort or safety. The cars were fabricated in New Zealand using stainless-steel frames that form the boat shape. The car interiors are clad with embossed stainless-steel panels and feature modern controls and safety features. The connection between the boat and the supporting chassis below is via rubber pads to act as a final step to maintain ride smoothness. Due to the complexity of the rope-management system around the various sheaves and bends, it was more prac-

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7

Accessibility Systems

Category

Project Year of the 2013

The external drum painting, gold leaf around the platform, stone floors and landings were designed and installed by the client and its finishing contractors.

B etween September 1, 2010, and December 20, 2011, Elevert Co. Ltd. installed a cus- tom-built platform lift in the ground-floor lobby of the Abu Dhabi Presidential Palace for use by VIPs and visiting dignitaries. The circular drum platform lift’s open-through door arrangement operates between the ground and first floors with seemingly no visible support or guiding system. The platform surround is glass topped with a wooden balus- trade. A stainless-steel tubular frame provides protection to the one-piece glass wall and acts as a handrail, kick rail and support for the centrally mounted platform operating pan- els. The curved-glass, center-opening doors are independently driven. The need for a landing entrance at the ground floor is eliminated by the solid drum upon which the platform lift sits. As the platform rises, the drum provides a solid barrier. At the first-floor landing, center-opening, flat glass gates protect the entrance. As the lift ap- proaches the first floor, the landing entrance floor, with gates and support posts, moves out to meet the lift. The entrance docks with the lift platform, closing the safe running clear- ance. The lift’s doors begin to open as it levels. The car door panels slide open, and the landing gates swing 90°. In the fully open position, the glass gates create a barrier at the sides of the entrance defining the exit path between the platform and landing. The landing remains in the extended position until the gates have closed and the platform lift has de- Abu Dhabi Presidential Palace submitted by Richard Draper, Elevert Co. Ltd.

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parted for the ground floor. In the event of the landing entrance failing to retract during the lift’s down trip, electrical interlocks prevent the lift from leaving the ground floor. The lift’s drive is hydraulic. Three direct-acting hydraulic pistons set at 120° to each other are mounted within and supported by a cen- tral steel frame. This frame also holds the guide-rail systems. Control of the lift is fully automatic and operates much as that of a traditional lift. Beneath the platform lift, housed within a 6.5-m-deep pit, exists an intricate arrangement of mechanical mechanisms, hydraulic systems and electronics: guide rails and support system, cylinders, rigid and flexible pipe work, rupture flow valve; traveling-cable follower de- vices, stabilizers, counterbalances, dampers, wiring, well switchgear and floor positioning sensors. A standard hydraulic tank, pump and valve assembly, along with the control cabinet with customized con- trols, are located adjacent to the pit in a motor room. Considering the palace was an existing building and located on land reclaimed from the Arabian Gulf some 30 years ago, excavating a suitable pit to the required depth in the center of the palace was challenging. A high water table complicated matters, and the actual depth fell short of the requirement of the first design. By utilizing a telescopic drum section fitted below the main drum of the platform lift that extends automatically as the lift ascends, then retracts during descent stage as it approaches the ground floor, it became possible to accept a reduced pit depth. The telescopic drum, when extended, pro- vides the platform lift with adequate stability during travel and when stationary at the first floor. A shorter pit affected other aspects of the installation. There was not enough space to hang a traveling cable in the traditional manner,

Central support tower at the factory during testing

Continued

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Accessibility Systems 7 but a carriage follower solved that issue. With a 3:1 ratio, the follower runs guided within the central support tower and controls the traveling cable by keeping it in tension through- out the lift’s travel. Another problem was not enough space beneath the lift’s platform to accommodate a bridging platform. For passenger safety, a safe running clearance between the lift and landing is essential. To overcome this problem, the lift design allowed for the landing en- trance to move toward the lift. By doing so, the lift was linked with the landing, closing the large gap at the landing floor. To provide stability to the central tower support as passengers enter and exit while the lift is at the ground floor, a mass-tuned damper mounted in the head of the central supporting tower acts against any oscillation to ensure a stable platform. A stainless-steel circumfer- ence ring at the ground floor provides the running clearance and interfaces the lift with the building’s floor finishes. Twin pedestals on either side of the entrance at both the ground and first floors house both the landing pushes, and a photoelectric sensor that detects obstruc- tions within the lift entrance. The curved-glass car doors proved to be the project’s toughest challenge. Mounted on a curved track and supported and driven from below within a confined space, obtaining stable travel and synchronization of the center-opening panels was time consuming and required several design changes along the way. Installation Shipped from Bangkok, the lift arrived in subassembly form. Major components were placed into position via the ground floor and lowered into the pit via a gantry system supplied with the lift equipment. After assembly and fitting of all guides, hydraulic pistons and acces- sories to the central support, the completed tower frame was aligned and plumbed. Abu Dhabi Presidential Palace Continued

Category

Project Year of the 2013

The lift parked at ground floor of the grand entrance of the palace

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Commissioning of the hydraulic system was completed before in- stalling the one-piece piston-head assembly. Wiring, then the installa- tion of the drum segments and platform followed. Ground-floor ring and first-floor landing equipment were then placed in position, with platform fit out waiting until the surrounds of the lift and entrance were complete. Décor finishes were coordinated and completed before final com- missioning of the entire lift system. A two-man team from Elevert erected and commissioned the lift. The client’s in-house team of tech- nicians and KONE staff provided assistance and support in moving the heavy items and subassemblies through the palace entrance. Maintenance Access to the first-floor landing is gained by first removing the gate- post assemblies, then lifting the floor pan. The inner workings of the lift can be accessed via the machine room. An interlocked door between the lift pit and machine room provides access to the hydraulic pistons, telescopic machinery, dampers and guide rails. Also, an interlocked floor trap in the platform floor allows access to a maintenance cell in the head of the central tower, where the car-door drives, guide shoes, terminal limits, floor switchgear and overrun buffers can be safely ac- cessed. Maintenance control with inching buttons to move the lift is provided within the maintenance cell. c

(l-r) Hydraulic tank and valve assembly, and controller

Specifications Travel: 5 m Stops: Two; open front at ground floor; open rear at first floor Speed: 0.4 mps External diameter: 2,100 mm Capacity: 1000 kg Drive: Three direct-acting hydraulic cylinders Control: Fully automatic microprocessor Doors: Electric, fully automatic Doors: Two-panel, center-opening glass Landing: Power-operated, center-opening, swinging glass gates Credits Owner: Wael Al Sawi, project manager, Ministry of Presidential Palace Affairs (Abu Dhabi) Consultant: Amanj Fatah, project manager, Morganti (Abu Dhabi) Main contractor: Tony D’Costa, KONE Middle East (Abu Dhabi) Designer, manufacturer and installer: Elevert Co. Ltd. (Bangkok)

Control system: STEP (Shanghai) Hydraulics: Bucher (Switzerland) Maintenance: Elevert/KONE Middle East

Central support tower, installed

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9

Automated People Movers

Category

Project Year of the 2013

East London Cable Car, London, U.K. submitted by David Cooper, LECS (UK) Ltd.

E mirates Air Line is the U.K.’s first urban cable car. It provides a low-emission, direct and accessible link across the Thames River, traveling between two new terminals, Emirates Greenwich Peninsula and Emirates Royal Docks. It was completed in June 2012 and erected prior to the 2012 London Olympic Games. It sits amongst some of Lon- don’s most popular buildings, including Canary Wharf, The Gherkin, Tower 42, The Heron Tower, The BT Tower and the recently completed, The Shard. The latter was also con- structed by MACE, the contractor of Emirates Air Line. Analysts considered all options for a transportation system including a bridge, water- based transportation and a tunnel. The cable car was selected as the preferred option for a number of reasons, including cost, program and aesthetics. The system endured several engineering challenges, including a short allotted timeframe. The system consists of 34 cabins, each with a carrying capacity of 10 passengers. It can operate at speeds up to 6 mps and, at that speed, takes 4 min., 14 s. to complete a one-way crossing. It is capable of transporting 2,500 people per hour, a significant number, espe- cially during the Olympic Games. It also provides a major new passenger route from the O 2 Arena on the south side of the Thames River to the north side just west of ExCeL Lon- don, a major exhibition center.

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The view from the cabins approaching the south station

The unique aspects of the project called for innovative construction techniques and a number of firsts in the in- dustry. For example, the erection of the South Tower re- quired the installation of the largest lifting-capacity crawler crane in Europe. The crane, which runs on tracks (instead of wheels) to aid mobility, was put together on site over a period of two weeks and delivered using more than 70 articulated lorries. Its reach is 120 m, with a height of 183 m. The large temporary structure, dubbed LR 1350, had a maximum lifting capacity of 1,350 mT -- the equiva- lent of 193 Routemaster buses. The immense lift capacity was required to lift pieces of each tower into place, some of which weighed up to 68 mT each. Both areas surrounding Emirates Air Line have been earmarked for several projects with the Royal Victoria Docks, selected as one of the new Local Enterprise Zones. The line will play a key role in supporting these projects by providing a quicker and more-direct link. It will also

provide access to a range of entertainment, professional and leisure opportunities. On its first day in operation, the system transported more than 20,000 people and has proved to be reliable and effective. Between June 28 and August 12, 2012, the system carried more than 700,000 people. Transportation System The transportation system consists of a continuous single rope measuring 50 mm, to which up to 34 cabins can be at- tached. The system is efficient and, as with a traction eleva- tor, only has to provide power to move the out-of-balance load when the cabins are out on the line and equally spaced. The system had to be fully accessible for persons with mobility impairments and has a feature that allows cabins to stop for loading and unloading, whereas in normal op- eration, the cabins keep moving slowly in the station areas. In order to achieve this, an anti-collision system had to be designed into the software. Continued

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Automated People Movers

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East London Cable Car, London, U.K. Continued

One of the initial challenges involved trying to construct the two main towers (both 86 m tall and weighing 570 mT) to accommodate the river crossing and one smaller intermediate tower, which measures more than 65 m in height and weighs 270 mT. The size of the towers, the fact that one had to be positioned in the Thames River and the need for ex- acting stability as a core requirement for the operation of the cable car also pre- sented several challenges. However, the design of the towers, using a complex helix structure to link the four steel rib- bons, assisted in providing the needed stability. The towers, made of approxi- mately 6,500 pieces of steel of varying thicknesses (30-50 mm), were then welded together before being connected to helix tubes that run inside the tower and provide the required stiffness. There are three main towers and two compression towers. The main towers support the system at height, and the compression towers provide rope diver- sion from the stations to the head of the towers. The main towers had to be con- structed to allow for a 51-m-tall ship to pass under the system at high tide, which is scheduled for twice a day. Each tower has been topped with a Doppel- mayr head (named after a cable-car contractor), which allows the cabling to run across the tops of the structures. The cable is made of twisted steel com- prised of 300 separate strands, is 50 mm thick and stretches 1.1 km across the river. The use of boats was required to make the initial rope connection during the short allotted timeframe during low

Project Year of the 2013

The project’s south tower and one of Europe’s largest cranes

tide. The cable was pulled into place and tensioned using a 12-T winch located on the platform of the South Terminal (Emirates Greenwich Peninsula). The cable was clamped and secured at each terminal and tensioned to gain a minimum clearance of 54 m above the high-water mark.

76 | WWW.ELEVATORWORLD.COM  | January 2013 Reprinted from ELEVATOR WORLD

The system has a traction sheave and return pulley/di- verter sheave, which is tensioned in a similar fashion to an escalator step chain. Once the cable had been tensioned to the correct height, the next step was to carry out the rigor- ous testing and commissioning process for the whole sys- tem. Another engineering challenge faced was that of the flight path into the nearby London City Airport. The lower end of the emergency approach into the airport is 110 m, only 23 m above the top of the south tower. Designers also had to be aware of the possibility of a vessel striking a tower. Though the risk was assessed as low, a ship-impact system was employed to divert any risk away from the towers. The south tower has been constructed in the main river itself, which, again, pre- sented challenges along with the limited construction timeline. The project began in July 2011 and was handed over on June 28, 2012. Completing the project in a little over 10 months is quite an achievement, given the design and construction challenges.

After the design stage, construction issues were also abundant. The U.K. had its worst recorded period of in- clement weather during construction, when the region saw heavy rain on most days, as well as a period of snow. The bed of the Thames River was found to be unstable, which was no surprise given an earlier discovery of this kind in the 1800s after similar weather. However, it wasn’t anticipated that the problem would be some 30 m deeper than expected. Another challenging issue was designing the system in such a way that all passengers could be retrieved in a timely manner in the event of equipment failure. The design is such that there is redundancy and system support including an innovative emergency bearing system, incorporated in case of a bearing failure on the main traction and tension- ing sheaves. The bearing design was developed specifically for this project, which marks its first use; however, the suc- cess of the design means it will likely be adopted for future projects around the world. c

A demonstration of the cabins’ accessibility

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ELEVATOR WORLD is always proud to present its annual Project of the Year contest winners each January issue. This year, EW received 25 entries in nine categories. Our highly regarded panel of judges scrutinized each entry and, as always, had difficult decisions to make. Each project entry exemplified team members joining together to overcome challenges, while going above and beyond to bring their projects in on time, on budget, 100% complete and to the clients’ satisfaction. First Place winners for each category have been presented with trophies commemorating their outstanding work. The EW staff and the Project of the Year judges would like to congratulate and thank all entrants for their participation. We hope EW readers will enjoy some of our industry’s most significant accomplishments from the past year. We’re looking to make the 2014 contest an even bigger success and welcome your entry. Participation in the contest builds company spirit and staff camaraderie, and improves client gratification. Start thinking now of any noteworthy projects your company is working on that may be eligible for entry in 2014’s competition. The project should be comprised of a vertical, horizontal or inclined transportation system consisting of an innovative design, special application or approach that solved a major problem or overcame a unique challenge. Complete contest entry parameters will be available in the April 2013 issue of EW and online at www. elevatorworld.com after April, and, as always, the submission deadline is August 31st.