Technology- Lead Rubber Bearing
A building with a fixed base i.e. built directly on the ground, will move with an earthquake's motion and can sustain extensive damage during an earthquake.
When a building is built away from the ground, resting on flexible bearings or pads (known as base isolators), it will only move a little or not at all during an earthquake.
On of the biggest effects of an is the shaking. Depending on how big the waves of an earthquake are, they can produce instability to buildings and even cause them to collapse. A base isolator is a system which isolates a structure's base from it's foundation by using a bearing. The bearing deflects and absorbs seismic waves, helping to protect the structure from the force of the vibrations. They can be used in buildings with up to 20 stories.
When a building is built away from the ground, resting on flexible bearings or pads (known as base isolators), it will only move a little or not at all during an earthquake.
On of the biggest effects of an is the shaking. Depending on how big the waves of an earthquake are, they can produce instability to buildings and even cause them to collapse. A base isolator is a system which isolates a structure's base from it's foundation by using a bearing. The bearing deflects and absorbs seismic waves, helping to protect the structure from the force of the vibrations. They can be used in buildings with up to 20 stories.
One such bearing that was developed in New Zealand and now used around the world, including Chile is the Lead Rubber Bearing (LRB). The LRB is made of rubber and steel with a lead core. The rubber in the LRB gives it's flexibility and let's it move but them return to it's original position. The lead works well because of it's plasticity (i.e. ability to charge). Even though it may deform with the movement of an earthquake, it will always return to it's original shape and it is able of deforming many times without losing strength. During an earthquake, the kinetic energy of the earthquake is absorbed into heat energy as the lead is deformed.
Layers of the steal are also put in the rubber which means the bearing can be moved in a horizontal direction but is stiff in a vertical direction. The LRB can make medium sized buildings made of stone or brick (and bridges and roads made of concrete) able to withstand earthquakes and protects them and the people living in them from major damage or injury.
Layers of the steal are also put in the rubber which means the bearing can be moved in a horizontal direction but is stiff in a vertical direction. The LRB can make medium sized buildings made of stone or brick (and bridges and roads made of concrete) able to withstand earthquakes and protects them and the people living in them from major damage or injury.