Japan is a seismically active region known for its first-class building infrastructure, capable of withstanding a magnitude 7 earthquake.
The country has established two levels of seismic resistance: if a building is damaged in a smaller earthquake, it must be rebuilt from scratch, including the latest seismic characteristics; if it is damaged in a larger earthquake, it must be damaged. , a certain degree of property damage is acceptable.
In other parts of the world, several iconic structures – the Burj Khalifa, Taipei 101, and the Philippine Arena – were built using various architectural measures to make them resistant to major earthquakes.
1. Taixin design: This is the basic earthquake resistant design that all buildings in China must follow. Beams, columns and walls must be built of such thickness as to absorb strong ground vibrations. The only downside to this model is that repeated jolts or strong jolts can damage the structure. It is suitable only for low-rise buildings.
2. Seishin structure: The frame of the building should isolate its foundation by placing shock absorbers, rubber layers or seismic isolators between them. This helps the building absorb the impact of an earthquake. This is optional, not required by Japanese law, but highly recommended for tall buildings.
3. Menshin structure: The base of the building rests on a lead, steel or thick rubber layer, which allows the building foundation to move and minimizes the force of earthquakes on the top frame. This construction method is often used in skyscrapers and high-rise condominiums.
The new construction method involves the block-by-block installation of dampers in the frame of the building foundation. During an earthquake, these dampers swing back and forth, absorbing the energy generated by the earthquake.
Invented to make existing skyscrapers more resistant to earth tremors, this method involves hanging a large, high-quality ball on steel cables from a fixed structure on top of the building. Based on a fairly simple rule – when a building starts to shake during an earthquake, the ball moves like a pendulum. Due to the strong inertia created by the seismic waves, the ball will swing in the opposite direction against the force of the earthquake, thus helping to stabilize the building.
Invisibility cloaks can save buildings during earthquakes. Earthquakes travel across the earth in waves, creating vertical motion on the ground and shaking buildings. To prevent this movement, some engineers placed 100 plastic rings on the foundation of the building, which acted as curtains, making the waves invisible.
This method has been tested by many civil engineers abroad in recent years and has been applied to a small number of structures.
Modular and lightweight steel structure is regarded as the future of the construction industry due to many factors such as greenhouse gas reduction, recyclability, environmental friendliness, mass production, portability and impact resistance.
Modular buildings consist of one or more prefabricated modules.
They can be built without a foundation, or they can be easily dismantled and transported to another site.
Subscribe to our Youtube channel to keep up to date with the latest events from around the world.