Carbon Fiber Ropes Could Save a Building From Earthquakes
Securing a building and keeping it safe from earthquakes takes a lot of work and seismic retrofitting is the way to do it. The problem that does need to be addressed is the risk of permanent damage to the building – and this relates to the way that it looks.
Securing a building and keeping it safe from earthquakes takes a lot of work and seismic retrofitting is the way to do it. The problem that does need to be addressed is the risk of permanent damage to the building – and this relates to the way that it looks. Carbon fibre could be the answer according to a company in Japan.
Called CABKOMA Strand Rod, the reinforcement material is classed as super-light and is produced by the Komatsu Seiten Fabric Laboratory. This item is so light that a garden hose weighs more than a 520- foot piece of this thermoplastic resin.READ ALSO: How Much Money Would be Needed to Build a new New York City
By using this carbon fibre, shockwaves will be absorbed, and bulk will not be added. This is 90% lighter than steel and yet just as strong. It also is incredibly flexible and therefore there is not drilling needed in order to install it. All that is required here is adhesive and some screws. Rather than connecting the foundations and walls of the building together, it is the roof that is attached to the ground, so everything moves once the shockwaves hit it.
Kengo Kuma is the architect recruited to work on the HQ of Komatsu Seiten and here the strands replicate the strings of a harp as the drop to the ground. There are not as yet plans for all Japanese buildings to be wrapped this way, although fragile important constructions will be protected and yet will not be spoiled by the addition.
Related Coverage
- Carbon Fiber Ropes Could Save a Building From an Earthquakes
- How To Send And Track Email Drip Campaigns With Snov.io
- Unmanned Air Ambulances are not Science Fiction Anymore
- Google Patents “Sticky” Layer To Protect Pedestrians From Car Accidents
- Here Are 4 Fundamentals to Analyze When Choosing a Website Design for Your Business
Don't miss new tech stories on Google
Add TrendinTech once in the Google app and our stories appear in your news suggestions.
Owen Castellanos
Owen Castellanos is the Hardware & Gaming Reporter at TrendinTech, where he tests graphics cards, processors, consoles and peripherals and follows the games industry, from the major publishers to independent studios. He previously wrote reviews and benchmarks for Tom's Hardware and contributed features to PC Gamer, covering everything from laptop testing to the economics of game development. Owen holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and attends CES in Las Vegas, Computex in Taipei and the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco each year to meet chipmakers and developers. He writes for readers who want to know whether a product is worth the money, and he is not shy about saying when it is not.
All stories by Owen Castellanos (252)