Maximum Lift Car Loading Accepted by Passengers in High-Rise Office Buildings: Does Data Support the 80% Rule?

Abstract

When conducting lift traffic analysis, one of the key modelling choices is passenger capacity: the limit on the number of passengers in a lift car. A widely used convention in the lift industry is the 80% rule, according to which lifts are assumed to be loaded to no more than 80% of their rated capacity. However, the interpretation of this rule varies across practitioners and methods. Lift car loading is likely influenced by multiple factors, such as cultural norms, traffic conditions, rated capacity, and the building segment. Although the 80% rule is a recurring topic in professional discussions, published measurement data remain scarce.

For this study, automatic passenger count data from 34 office buildings were analysed. Some buildings included multiple lift groups, resulting in a total of 52 lift groups. The measurements were conducted in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Oceania and North America. The results indicate substantial variation in the upper bounds of lift car loading across regions.