• An alternative virtual regulatory qualification framework • A measurement-oriented virtual testing procedure for inclined lift braking is introduced. • A validated multibody model enables quantitative assessment of braking performance for inclined lifts. • Measurement uncertainty is propagated using GUM-compliant analytical formulations. • An analytical dimensionless model supports conformity assessment under EN 81-22 for inclined lifts. • Latin Hypercube Sampling enhances robustness of measurement-based predictions across varying loads and inclinations. Inclined lifts require dedicated emergency braking systems capable of limiting both horizontal and vertical loads on passengers. Currently, manufacturers employ combined devices integrating a progressive safety gear and a hydraulic shock absorber to meet EN 81-22:2021 requirements. Simplifying this architecture by removing the shock absorber poses a technological challenge, directly impacting user safety. This study proposes a regulation-driven, uncertainty-aware framework to evaluate the feasibility of using a progressive safety gear as the sole braking element while ensuring compliance with safety limits. A multibody dynamic simulation model was developed in Simulink (MATLAB) to characterise braking force evolution, showing strong agreement with results from a custom experimental test program. Regulatory acceleration limits were reformulated into a universal, dimensionless compliance envelope, independent of specific safety gear design. Measurement uncertainty was incorporated through safety corridors derived from analytical propagation and Monte Carlo analysis. To extend validation, the operating envelope was explored via Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS), enabling robust classification of admissible and non-admissible configurations across varying loads and inclinations. Rather than providing configuration-specific validation, the approach establishes an alternative virtual regulatory qualification framework that systematically assesses inclined lift installations under uncertainty-aware conditions. The analytical model demonstrated high predictive accuracy across the full operating range, confirming the technical feasibility of using a progressive safety gear as the sole emergency braking device under homologation test conditions. This framework shifts emergency braking evaluation from empirical verification to a structured, regulation-embedded engineering decision tool, supporting safe and robust design of inclined lift systems.
Fernández et al. (Sun,) studied this question.