Finite Markov Chains Applied to Lift Traffic Calculation and Simulation

The process why a lift car moves from a floor to another is a ‘stochastic process’, which mathematical treatment was begun by A A Markov (1856-1922), characterized by an initial state and probabilities of transition from a state or floor to one another. The whole transition probabilities among the different floors or ‘states’ can be arranged as a ‘system transition matrix’. The same concept can be extended to a lift group with several cars. The interest of this model lies in it can be developed by means of a powerful mathematical tool, the matricial calculus, easily computerized. On the other hand, Monte Carlo method application allows to carry out system behaviour simulations under different hypotheses. In the presentation, the author shows the essential concepts in relation to this matter as well as the wide possibilities this mathematical model offers for lift traffic calculus and simulation.