We all are quite aware of the damage caused by earthquakes. To devise a solution, researchers at Stanford University and the University of Illinois have joined forces in this direction. They have successfully designed a self-righting building that has the capability of rocking during earthquakes and regaining its original form after the tremor. The new earthquake-resistant structural system has the potential to make buildings withstand violent quakes and damages associated with them. It provides means for easier repair, making it possible for people to reoccupy buildings in a lot less time than it would normally take.
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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j87UWgvetRg&hl=en&fs=1&]
The new earthquake-resistant structural system and its working:
This new structural system was made to undergo a test on a massive shake table where the system survived simulated earthquakes in excess of magnitude 7. The system has a steel frame that can be easily fixed into a building during construction or can be fixed into an already existing building by simply undergoing seismic retrofitting.
The rocking frames have steel shoes, which are secured at the base of the columns providing them free upward and downward movement. The steel tendons running down the center of the frame from top to bottom are responsible for controlling the rocking and return the frame to vertical when the shaking stops. High-strength steel cable strands are twisted together to form tendons that are so flexible that they can rebound to normal length, pulling the building back into proper alignment. Just below the frame are steel fuses that keep the rest of the building from sustaining damages.