Smart Base Isolation

Earthquake by itself, is not a disaster, it is natural phenomenon result from ground movement, sometimes violent. Disaster occurs when man made buildings and other structures cannot cope up with these ground movements and fail causing death and destruction of property.

The energy that is released after an earthquake sets up waves called primary wave and secondary waves. These further produce surface waves, which cause vibration of the ground and structures standing on top. Depending on the characteristics of these vibrations, the ground may develop cracks, fissures and settlements.

Seismic events are not predictable and a major event can never be ruled out in the life of a structure located in a severe seismic zone. Both non-structural and structural damage may be expected in a major seismic event. The possible risk of loss of life adds a very serious dimension to seismic design, putting a moral responsibility on structural engineers to be comprehensive in their work.

In recent times, many new systems and devices using non conventional materials have been developed, either to reduce the earthquake forces acting on the structure or to absorb a part of seismic energy. One of the most widely implemented and accepted seismic protection systems is base isolation.