How A Pendulum Helped Taiwan's Tallest Skyscraper Survive A Devastating Earthquake
A large pendulum on the upper floors played a crucial role in protecting Taiwan's tallest skyscraper during a recent 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Hualien County as the building emerged unharmed from the quake.
A large pendulum on the upper floors played a crucial role in protecting Taiwan's tallest skyscraper during a recent 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Hualien County. The building emerged unharmed from the quake.
Huge golden pendulum at the centre
The powerful earthquake, the strongest in Taiwan in about 25 years, caused widespread destruction across the country.
Shocking CCTV footage showed buildings collapsing in seconds.
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However, Taiwan's tallest building stood strong, thanks to a large golden-coloured pendulum at its center.
How did the pendulum save the building from crumbling?
The pendulum, known as a tuned mass damper, is a massive 660-metric-tonne steel sphere suspended over 1,000 feet above the ground at the center of the building.
It hangs from 92 thick cables between the 87th and 92nd floors, allowing the golden steel sphere to move about 5 feet in any direction.
taipei101.com
A damper, in general, is a valve or plate that regulates the flow of air inside air-handling equipment such as ducts, chimneys, or air handlers.
Nicknamed "Damper Baby," the spherical damper moves back and forth during earthquakes or typhoons, helping absorb the force of intense swinging and reducing the building's movement by up to 40 percent.
"Damper Baby" pendulum/ Reddit
Additionally, the building's construction material plays a vital role in its resilience.
Made from reinforced concrete, the tower is flexible enough to sway yet rigid enough to resist high winds and frequent typhoons in Taiwan, contributing to its stability during seismic events.
Taiwan, situated near the convergence of two tectonic plates, is vulnerable to earthquakes. The recent earthquake has resulted in the loss of 10 lives, and counting.
Previously, in 2016, more than 100 individuals lost their lives in a quake in southern Taiwan, while another in 1999 claimed the lives of over 2,000 people.
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