Abstract

Stack effect can lead to high pressure difference across elevator doors in high-rise buildings. This pressure difference leads to adverse effects during door operation and can lead to malfunctions. This research performs a comprehensive analysis of this phenomenon using both on site field measurements and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. Field data on pressure and temperature were collected from two high-rise buildings in Dubai, UAE, to establish baseline conditions and validate the CFD models. Multiple CFD models were developed to simulate the stack effect and its interaction with other phenomena in the shaft such as the piston effect. These were full-scale shaft models used to analyze the superposition of stack and piston effects, detailed car models to investigate airflow and pressurization around the elevator during car movement and a high-fidelity door model to examine forces during the opening and closing cycle. The findings confirm that the pressure induced by the piston effect is cumulative with the baseline stack pressure but dissipates entirely as the elevator decelerates and comes to a complete stop. It was discovered that the location of natural ventilation cutouts on the elevator car significantly impacts in-car pressure during movement. Furthermore, the simulations revealed that aerodynamic forces on the doors peak during the initial opening phase, a phenomenon which can be attributed to the Coanda effect caused by the landing door's fire chicane and the design of the elevator lobby and the shaft. Based on these insights, several passive and semi-active design modifications were proposed and simulated. Two solutions were proven to be the most effective, first being enclosing the gap between the car and landing doors to create a pressure-equalizing air pocket, which reduced net forces by 5% passively and up to 30% when assisted by the car's ventilation fan, and second, introducing vertical slits in the landing doors, which achieved up to an 8% reduction in force. This study provides a validated understanding of the airflow phenomena affecting elevator doors and offers tangible, data-driven design solutions for manufacturers to mitigate operational issues.

Publication Date

11-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Mechanical Engineering (MS)

Department, Program, or Center

Mechanical Engineering

College

Kate Gleason College of Engineering

Advisor

Ghalib Y Kahwaji

Advisor/Committee Member

Mohamed A Samaha

Advisor/Committee Member

Mohammed W Abdulrahman

Comments

This thesis has been embargoed. The full-text will be available on or around 12/15/2026.

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

Download

Available for download on Wednesday, December 16, 2026

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