Advancements in Construction of Earthquake-Resistant Buildings
While many effective designs and tactics have been used over the years, there are numerous amount of new designs to create earthquake-resistant buildings.
A prime example of this is shape-memory alloys. These alloys are metals that change shape based on their temperature. When the alloys are cold, they change their shape. When they are heated, the alloys return to their original shape. Because of this shape-conforming element, a damping effect is created, allowing for the vibrations caused by an earthquake to be subdued.
A new solution for tall buildings, such as skyscrapers, is pendulums. This solution involves a mass placed at the top of the building, supported by cables. There are dampers placed between the mass and the building, to ensure maximum protection. When an earthquake occurs, the cables sway the mass in the opposite direction of the building’s sway to counteract the swinging that an earthquake can cause.
Biomaterials are also being considered to enhance safety from earthquakes when constructing buildings. In particular, mussels are one of these biomaterials that are being used in construction. Mussels produce fibers that have sticky qualities and are called byssal threads. Byssal threads are very flexible, allowing them to absorb shock and vibration. It is a current work in progress to develop construction materials that can mimic the properties of byssal threads so that the materials can act as dampers during an earthquake.
Scientists and researchers also have tried to replicate spider webs, as they thought the webs would have similar properties to byssal threads, but they only found a stiffness in the webs that would not give the same amount of damping effect that the byssal threads would offer.
Modern ways of producing earthquake-safe materials have been becoming increasingly popular, and they effectively create safer buildings for people during earthquakes.
Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/technology/earthquake-resistant-construction
