A dimensional measurement campaign that establishes the as-built geometry of a hoistway before elevator installation.
Full Definition
An elevator shaft survey is a systematic set of dimensional measurements performed in a hoistway — typically on a new building before any elevator equipment is installed, or in an existing hoistway before a modernisation — to determine whether the as-built internal dimensions, plumb, and structural features comply with the elevator manufacturer's minimum layout requirements and the design intent. The survey instruments a plumb line (or total station laser) from a datum at the top of the shaft to the pit floor, establishing the true vertical reference from which all horizontal distances to walls, beams, and sill blockouts are measured at each floor level. Key parameters recorded include: pit depth and clearance to buffer reaction pad; overhead clearance above the top terminal landing; internal cross-section at each floor; variation in plumb over the full height (shaft bow or twist); positions of pit ladder, stop switches, and lighting conduit routes; and any protrusions such as beams, brackets, or conduits that encroach on the minimum clearance envelope. Survey data are plotted against the elevator manufacturer's pit/overhead/section drawing and any deviations are flagged for civil remediation before equipment procurement. In Turkey, the shaft survey report (asansör şaft raporu) is submitted to the elevator installer as the primary reference document for layout approval.
