The earthquake in Kahramanmaraş once again turned the eyes on how to build earthquake-resistant structures. There are many different methods used in buildings that aim to reduce the effects of earthquakes. In this article, we will give three examples of earthquake precautions that can be taken in buildings.
1. Shock Absorbers
You’ve probably heard of the use of shock absorbers in cars. But you may not know that buildings can also have shock absorbers. These shock absorbers work exactly the same as automobile shock absorbers. It reduces the power of shock waves by converting seismic wave energy into heat energy which is then transferred to the hydraulic fluid. This is why shock absorbers are also called shock absorbers. Building shock absorbers have huge pistons inside a cylinder filled with silicone oil. In the event of an earthquake, the building will take the energy and transfer it to the pistons. The pistons will then push the oil, which converts mechanical energy into heat energy.
2. Skyscrapers Pendulums
This method was invented to make already built skyscrapers more earthquake resistant. The method, which only requires suspending a large high-mass ball with steel ropes from a fixed structure at the top of the building, is based on a fairly simple rule. When the building starts to shake during the earthquake, the ball moves like a pendulum. Due to the inertia and counter-impact force of earthquake waves, this ball swings in the opposite direction to the earthquake, thereby helping to stabilize the building. These pendulums are also known as tuned mass dampers because they are tuned to match the building’s frequency.
3. Seismic Invisibility Cloak
Yes, you read it right. The invisibility cloak can save the structure during an earthquake. The earthquake propagates over the land as waves that create vertical movement on the surface and shake buildings. To prevent this movement, some engineers place 100 plastic rings on the foundation of a building that act as curtains and make the waves invisible. When you look at the name of this technology, the decision you will think of may not be high-tech or magical, but it has been tested by many civil engineers abroad in the last few years and has been applied in a small number of structures…
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