• : I'mnovation
    Imnovation
      • Startups
      • esp
      • eng
    • Energy
    • Construction
    • Water
    • dt Created with Sketch. Digital Transformation
    • st Created with Sketch. Science & Technology
    • Society
    • SUSCRÍBETE A NUESTRA RSS
      • Startups
      • esp
      • eng
  • Home
  • Construction
  • A New Coating to Protect Buildings from Earthquakes
Previous Next
  • A New Coating to Protect Buildings from Earthquakes

    The innovative material, simply sprayed onto walls, can retrofit even older buildings to protect them against earthquakes.

The powerful tremors that devastated Mexico recently reminded us about the frailty of human buildings when facing natural forces without the proper protection protocols. Japan learnt this the hard way back in 1995, when the Kobe earthquake tragically killed more than 5,000 people. This event would become a tipping point for the construction of earthquake-proof buildings.  In fact, in 2011, when the country suffered a 9.0 earthquake, most of the modern structures were able to resist the tremors. However, it is not always feasible to put such stringent measures into place, as older buildings would have to be demolished to make way for the new ones. That is, until new technologies arrive, such as that developed by professor Nemkumar Banthia and his team at the British Columbia University.

The new material created under the tutelage of this civil engineering professor has been called EDCC (Eco-friendly Ductile Cementitious Composite) and simulations have shown it to resist forces as powerful as those unleashed in the 2011 Japanese earthquake. The best thing about it is how easily it can be applied – basically spraying it onto a wall to achieve a 10 mm-thick coating. “This is sufficient to reinforce most interior walls against seismic shocks”, Soleimani-Dashtaki, one of the researchers, explained.

To provide this kind of protection, the material makes use of a mixture of polymer-based fibres, fly ash and other industrial additives. In fact, 70% of the usual cement is replaced by the aforementioned fly ash, which is a by-product from coal-burning power stations. This means that the amount of cement needed is substantially reduced and, with it, the emission of carbon dioxide. It should be remembered that producing a ton of cement generates almost as much carbon dioxide. That’s where the eco-friendly label comes into play.

EDCC is no pie in the sky, as earthquake prevention retrofitting measures are already being implemented in buildings from the British Columbia University campus and are planned for the Dr. Annie B. Jamieson Elementary School in Vancouver. It is expected to play a significant role in the near future for the strengthening of pipelines, pavements, offshore platforms, blast-resistant structures, and industrial floors.

Other earthquake protection techniques

Research during the last few decades has brought significant progress in the field of earthquake damage prevention. As mentioned earlier in this article, Japan is one of the leading countries in this area, but there are other nations, such as Chile, that have also implemented innovative construction protocols to tackle these issues. A great deal of the progress made is related to the understanding of a natural phenomenon called liquefaction, by which the bedrock on which the foundations of the building rest behaves as a liquid when exposed to huge geological forces such as those of earthquakes.

These are some of the most frequent techniques to safeguard buildings from earthquake damage:

  • Structure flexibility. One of the key elements is to achieve a certain degree of flexibility in the concrete and steel structures to avoid breakage. It is as if the whole building waltzes along in time with the earthquake instead of the dancers treading on each other’s feet. For instance, in Japan beams are intertwined to behave like knots. Steel sheets covered by latex membranes are also used.
  • Compensating pendulums and mass dampers. The collapse of a skyscraper is a truly devastating event to be avoided at all costs. That’s why a heavy structure is placed on the top of some tall buildings which behaves like a counterweight in the event of seismic tremors. If the building leans to the left, the counterweight will move to the right, and the other way round. An example of this kind of mechanism can be found on the Taipei 101, a 1,600 feet tall skyscraper in Taiwan, China.
  • Seismic isolation and energy dissipation systems. The former are used to decouple the building from the bedrock where it’s placed. In that way, movement just affects the actual isolation system and not the building above. Just imagine a waiter keeping a tray static in the air while moving the rest of his body. The latter, on the other hand, operate as dampers that absorb the lateral movement of the building.

Source: UBC, Digital Trends, BBC

  • Construction

Share on social media

{{CommentsCount}} Comments

Currently no one has commented on the news.
Be the first to leave a comment.

{{firstLevelComment.Name}}

{{firstLevelComment.DaysAgo}} days ago

{{firstLevelComment.Text}}

Answer

{{secondLevelComment.Name}}

{{secondLevelComment.DaysAgo}} days ago

{{secondLevelComment.Text}}

Write your comment

All fields are mandatory.

Name

Email address

Comments

250 max char.

Accept the information on data protection

You must accept the information on data protection

{{btnSendCommentText}}

Thank you for your comment

Information on data protection

In compliance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 on Data Protection and with other Data Protection regulations in force, you are hereby informed that your personal data shall be processed by Acciona, S.A. (hereinafter “ACCIONA”), whose identification data are as follows: Tax ID No. (NIF): A08001851, Address: Avenida de Europa, 18, Parque Empresarial de la Moraleja, 28108 in Alcobendas, Madrid, Tel. No.: +34 91 663 28 50, email: protecciondedatos@acciona.com, in order to address and manage your queries, requests, claims and suggestions, as well as to electronically send information regarding our products and services through the contact email address.

The consent given by users when they contact us comprises the legal grounds for processing the data.

The data shall be stored as long as the relationship is maintained and the elimination thereof is not requested, and in any case, never for more than twelve months.

In the event your request is not addressed to ACCIONA but to an entity belonging to the Acciona Group, such entity shall transmit the data to the Group company that can most efficiently address your request for information or a service. Accordingly, when these data are transferred such transfer may be international due to the fact that these companies are located in countries outside the European Union, in order to address the communication needs among the individuals that comprise the Group at the global level. (You can consult a list of Group companies at www.acciona.com/shareholders-investors/financial-information/annual-accounts/. By accepting the privacy terms, you consent to your data being transferred internationally in order for your request to be properly processed. Other data transfers are not anticipated, except where required by law.

The interested party can exercise their rights of portability and to access, correct, eliminate, restrict and oppose the processing of their data before Acciona, S.A. by addressing ACCIONA in writing at the Department of Data Protection located at Avenida de Europa, 18, 28108, in Alcobendas, Madrid or by sending an email to the following address: protecciondedatos@acciona.com. In either case, the interested party must enclose or attach a copy of their National ID (DNI) or other ID. Furthermore, at any time the interested party may withdraw the granted consent by contacting the aforementioned address and file a claim before the Supervisory Authority (the Spanish Data Protection Agency www.aepd.es).

You can find more information in our Privacy Policy on our website.

Subscribe to our newsletter

... and stay informed with the latest news on innovation.

Send me the newsletter
{{ btnSendText }}

Wrong email format

Accept the information on data protection

You must accept the information on data protection

YOU'RE JUST ONE STEP AWAY!

Please, confirm your subscription on the email we have sent you and your registration will be completed.

YOU ARE ALREADY SUBSCRIBED TO THE NEWSLETTER!

If you've missed our content, try checking your junk mailbox and add us to your address book so you can enjoy them without any problem.

Information on data protection

In compliance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 on Data Protection and with other Data Protection regulations in force, you are hereby informed that your personal data shall be processed by Acciona, S.A. (hereinafter “ACCIONA”), whose identification data are as follows: Tax ID No. (NIF): A08001851; Address: Avenida de Europa, 18, Parque Empresarial La Moraleja, 28108 in Alcobendas, Madrid; Tel. No.: +34 91 663 28 50; email: protecciondedatos@acciona.com. Your data shall be processed in order to send you information, through the subscription to our Newsletter through electronic means, regarding our latest technological innovation of ACCIONA´s initiative "I’MNOVATION #Hub", which aims to bring the general public main news, advances and curiosities of the innovation technology of all the companies that make up the ACCIONA Group.

 

The consent given by the data subject by indicating that they have read and accept this data protection information comprises the lawfulness of processing. The data provide is your email address. If you fails to provide the required data, the subscription Request cannot be satisfied. We may also process your satisfaction or preferences, if you voluntarily respond to surveys. Data shall be stored until the elimination is requested.

In order to carry out our purpose, we may give access to your data to service providers (such as technology service providers) who assist us in fulfilling this purpose. Some of its service providers, may be located outside of the European Economic Area in territories that do not offer a level of data protection that is comparable to that of the European Union. In such cases, we transfer User data with appropriate safeguards and always ensuring the security of the same.

 

The data subject can exercise their rights of portability and to access, correct, eliminate, restrict and oppose the processing of their data to Acciona, S.A. by writing the Department of Data Protection located at Avenida de Europa, 18, 28108, Parque Empresarial La Moraleja, in Alcobendas, Madrid or by sending an email to the following address: protecciondedatos@acciona.com. If we consider it necessary in order to be able to identify you, we may ask you for a copy of an identity document. Furthermore, at any time the data subject may withdraw the granted consent by contacting the aforementioned address and file a claim to the Supervisory Authority (Agencia Española de Protección de Datos www.aepd.es). You can also unsubscribe from the Newsletter communication.

 

For any further information you can visit the Privacy Police on the website https://www.acciona.com/privacy-policy/.

More about Construction

  • Construction

    Low-cost smart windows

    Smart windows, varying the amount of light coming through the glass, can now be produced economically

  • Construction

    Cleaning with bubbles and sound, chemical-free

    StarStream is a system that allows the cleaning of metal and glass surfaces, as well as organic fabrics, with just a gentle stream of cold water.

  • Construction

    Early detection of corrosion in buildings using sensors

    Structural corrosion of concrete is one of the main reasons for it breaking up when used in buildings. Detecting this is both very costly and damages the structure.

Featured topics

Read the most discussed articles

  • Sustainability
  • Construction
  • Urbanism
  • New materials
  • Innovation
  • Future
  • Renewable energies
  • Cities
  • Solar energy
  • Industry
  • 3D
  • 3D printing

Categories

  • Energy
  • Construction
  • Water
  • Digital Transformation
  • Science & Technology
  • Society

Featured topics

  • Innovation
  • Renewable energies
  • Sustainability
  • Technology
  • Water
  • Robots

Innovation is a change that introduces new features. The concept is generally used in the sense of inventions, new ideas, devices, methods and processes, and the application of improved solutions meeting fresh economic or societal requirements. Strictly speaking, however, ideas can only be termed “innovations” once they have imposed themselves as successful new products, services or procedures.

About us
Subscribe to our RSS
Imnovation
Acciona

An ACCIONA innovation initiative

  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Legal notice
  • Site map
  • Contact
  • ACCIONA's websites