Simulation and experimental tests of a safety braking system for aerial tramways

Aerial tramways are a fast and efficient mean of transportation, especially found in mountainous regions where the ability of clearing steep inclines makes them a preferred solution. Often non-autonomous, these types of cabin have little or no power installed and thus must be drawn by the haulage rope. In case of failure, a safety braking system must prevent the cabin from rolling back along the track rope. The braking system under investigation is a fail-safe device composed by two braking units that clamp the track rope in case of failure. The aim of the present study was to estimate the braking time. Given the complexity and costs related to on-field experimental tests, simulations and laboratory tests were carried out. The braking unit was modelled in MSC ADAMS, making use of the MSC ADAMS/Hydraulics plug-in. Simulations and experiments were in a very good agreement, evidencing the system’s compliance to Italian regulation.