Propagation characteristics of elastic waves in the wire-rope traction system

Wire-rope traction systems are widely used in electromechanical systems such as elevators, mine hoists, and automated parking systems, where vibration signals are essential for fault diagnosis. However, traditional vibration-based methods often ignore the physical propagation mechanism of elastic waves, leading to diagnostic inaccuracies. This paper investigates the speed-dependent propagation characteristics of elastic waves in wire-rope traction systems. A complete transfer matrix model is developed by integrating wave equations and dynamic contact models across the entire propagation path. Numerical simulations demonstrate that stopband behaviour evolves significantly with elevator speed, including the number, bandwidth, and centre frequency of stopbands – revealing non-monotonic and frequency-dependent trends. These trends are interpreted physically and validated experimentally, with deviations within 5–50 Hz. This study provides new insights into the propagation mechanisms of the elastic wave, contributes a generalizable modelling framework, and offers novel insight into wave behaviour under varying operating conditions, offering theoretical support for vibration-based monitoring and fault diagnosis in traction systems in elevators and similar electromechanical systems.