Measurement of Vacuum Suction Force on Diversely Configured Vertical Outer Walls of Buildings

Abstract

Though vacuum suction pads are able to fasten items of working equipment such as gondolas easily and without causing damage to a building’s outer wall, their necessary suction force should be designed by considering various conditions such as wind force, the loads of each item of working equipment, and suction capacity. Suction force is changed by the internal vacuum pressure of pads, and the materials and shapes of an outer wall’s surface have a considerable influence on vacuum pressure. In this study, we measured the vacuum suction force of pads on walls configured of various materials and shapes.