Citation

Sato H, Michio C, Naruyuki H. Rep. Traffic Saf. Nuis. Res. Inst. 2001; (30): 25-41.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, Traffic Safety and Nuisance Research Institute)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

A ropeway system in which a closed box type of carrier is suspended from an aerial rope is used generally for transporting passengers in mountainous districts because of such reasons as that (1) it can run even on sharp slopes and (2) it can run easily across rivers. In recent years, there are plans to introduce it as a means of transportation in cities, and it is expected to be widely used as a means of transportation in coastal districts, between large housing complexes and terminal stations. One of the important technical problems that must be solved in this ropeway system is to increase the wind resistance of the ropeway carrier. If the carrier is moved excessively by wind, it may result in a serious accident such as collision of the carrier with a column and falling of the carrier due to derailing of the rope from the rope wheel. In order to improve the safety and reliability of transportation, it is very important to increase the wind resistance of the carrier, especially in lateral directions. As a means of improving the windproof performance for carriers of ropeway systems, we studied aerodynamic method using additional aerodynamic devices such as fairing device and wing device. Our study includes the results of wind tunnel tests which show the effects of fairing devices and wing devices on the aerodynamic characteristics of a carrier.