Dynamic behavior of elevators under random inflow of passengers

TL;DR

This study analyzes the complex, spontaneous synchronization behavior of multiple elevators during peak passenger inflow, revealing how random passenger arrivals induce collective dynamics and stability.

Contribution

It introduces a combined numerical and analytical framework to understand elevator synchronization driven by stochastic passenger calls, highlighting emergent collective behavior.

Findings

Synchronization occurs regardless of final destination.

Passenger inflow induces spontaneous ordering of elevators.

Interaction through passenger presence stabilizes elevator dynamics.

Abstract

Elevators can be regarded as oscillators driven by the calls of passengers who arrive randomly. We study the dynamic behavior of elevators during the down peak period numerically and analytically. We assume that new passengers arrive at each floor according to a Poisson process and call the elevators to go down to the ground floor. We numerically examine how the round-trip time of a single elevator depends on the inflow rate of passengers at each floor and reproduce it by a self-consistent equation considering the combination of floors where call occurs. By setting an order parameter, we show that the synchronization of two elevators occurs irrespective of final destination (whether the elevators did or did not go to the top floor). It indicates that the spontaneous ordering of elevators emerges from the Poisson noise. We also reproduce the round-trip time of two elevators by a self-consistent equation considering the interaction through the existence of passengers and the absence of volume exclusion. Those results suggest that such interaction stabilizes and characterizes the spontaneous ordering of elevators.