Thanks daytrip for sending:
http://www.gizmag.com/stanford-engineers-build-test-earthquake-resistant-house/34787/
An excerpt:
Though a large earthquake can prove catastrophic to life and property, even relatively minor tremors may compromise the structural integrity of a home, resulting in large repair costs. A team of engineers based at California’s Stanford University has developed a new method of building earthquake-resistant homes that could be implemented relatively easily and inexpensively.
The Stanford engineers built a small two-story home model that features what they refer to as a “unibody” design. Rather than screwing drywall to the home’s wooden frame, it was attached with glue, while strong mesh and additional screws were used to attach and keep the white stucco facade safely in place.
More significantly however, the home was not placed on a standard foundation, but on “seismic isolators.” The seismic isolators comprise 12 steel-and-plastic sliders, each measuring around 11.4 cm (4.5 in) in diameter, and plates and bowl-shaped dishes made of galvanized steel were placed beneath.
The prototype model home was tested on an earthquake simulator that essentially acts as a large shaking table. Though unable to give a Richter scale reading, the engineers report that they shook the table at three times the intensity of a 6.9 magnitude quake. Thanks to the seismic isolators, the house slid harmlessly from left to right, but took no damage. Indeed, it wasn’t until the researchers turned up the earthquake simulator up to maximum that the building displayed significant damage.
Any building is only as strong as the ground it is sitting on ultimately,
Having lived through several major quakes, I can tell you
Most buildings with significant damage was caused from the ground giving out underneath it.
Well then you have building built on polls but that is a different story LOL.
meant to say built on poles,
I don’t get it. The house isn’t anchored to the ground. It appears to be sliding around on a 5×5 foot square.
What about…
Electrical lines?
Plumbing?
Gas Lines?
Phone/Internet connections?
I think I’ve seen something a lot like this concept before. Back in the day we called it a single-wide trailer.
Shadash, the house is attached to the “seismic isolators” which are attached to the ground. The house can then move within the seismic isolator. They have used this system for high rises. If you google the term you’ll get lots of photos and diagrams.
Just don’t build your house in an area prone to liquefaction … when the ground falls apart beneath you no building method will save the structure! Can you tell I lived in Tokyo for a few years and now in LA!!!