Building system resists earthquakes

An earthquake-resistant structural system, successfully tested in Japan, will not only help a multi-storey building hold together during a violent earthquake, but return it to an upright position afterwards, with damage confined to a few easily replaceable parts.

The team that designed the system was led by researchers at Stanford University and Illinois University. During testing on a massive shake table, the system survived simulated earthquakes in excess of magnitude 7, bigger than the 1994 Northridge earthquake and the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in California.

The system dissipates energy through the movement of steel frames that are situated around the building's core or along exterior walls. The frames can be part of a building's initial design or could be incorporated into an existing building undergoing seismic retrofitting.

They are economically feasible to build, as all the materials employed are commonly used in construction and all the parts can be made using existing fabrication methods.