anti earthquake building

There are two main types of anti-earthquake technology: "Quake resistance", which refers to strengthened columns, and using beams and walls designed to be resistant against quakes, and "seismic isolation" which are structures installed in foundations to absorb vibrations from the ground. If a building is directly connected to its foundations, it is also directly vulnerable to seismic vibrations. Seismic isolation structures are like a buffer that provides protection for the building. Illustrated are THK's quake-absorbing seismic isolation devices that use crossed LM Guides to greatly reduce the amount of vibration transmitted from the ground to the building above.

Single or two story wood-frame domestic structures built on a perimeter or slab foundation are relatively safe in an earthquake, but in many structures built before 1950 the sill plate that sits between the concrete foundation and the floor diaphragm (perimeter foundation) or studwall (slab foundation) may not be sufficiently bolted in. Additionally, older attachments (without substantial corrosion-proofing) may have corroded to a point of weakness. A sideways shock can slide the building entirely off of the foundations or slab.

Often such buildings, especially if constructed on a moderate slope, are erected on a platform connected to a perimeter foundation through low stud-walls called "cripple wall" or pin-up. This low wall structure itself may fail in shear or in its connections to itself at the corners, leading to the building moving diagonally and collapsing the low walls. The likelihood of failure of the pin-up can be reduced by ensuring that the corners are well reinforced in shear and that the shear panels are well connected to each other through the corner posts. This requires structural grade sheet plywood, often treated for rot resistance. This grade of plywood is made without interior unfilled knots and with more, thinner layers than common plywood. New buildings designed to resist earthquakes will typically use OSB (oriented strand board), sometimes with metal joins between panels, and with well attached stucco covering to enhance its performance. In many modern tract homes, especially those built upon expansive (clay) soil the building is constructed upon a single and relatively thick monolithic slab, kept in one piece by high tensile rods that are stressed after the slab has set. This poststressing places the concrete under compression - a condition under which it is extremely strong in bending and so will not crack under adverse soil conditions.

There are some anti earthquake materials could help to increase building's anti earthquake ability, such as Vibration damping mechanism and anti-earthquake wall material.

In some earthquake-prone countries and areas such as Japan,there are currently three main technologies aimed at making buildings earthquake-safe. The first is “quake- resistance”, which means making a building strong enough to withstand vibrations. The second is “vibration-damping”, which means incorporating damping elements into the structure to absorb vibrations. The third technology is “seismic isolation”, which employs inserted elements to isolate the building from its foundation in order to prevent vibrations from being transmitted directly to the building.