Earthquakes, one of the most destructive natural disasters and the answer could be… Giant balls? Taiwan is very earthquake prone and skyscrapers and earthquakes don’t mix well, but here is how the Taipei 101 is still standing to this day. The Taipei 101 has a 730-ton metal ball suspended in the air between the 87th and 92nd floor. The scientific name is a tuned mass damper (TMD). A tuned mass damper is a large ball that can stabilize tall structures by accounting for their swaying. The tuned mass damper in the Taipei 101 is the largest in the world, it consists of 75 layers of steel welded into a large ball.
Some of the architectural features include: Made mostly from reinforced concrete, Taipei 101’s ability to flex in response earthquakes, while maintaining strength against high winds and hurricanes, is central to its survival. The building’s foundation reaches deeply into the bedrock, supported by reinforced concrete and steel beams, ensuring stability during earthquakes.
The Taipei 101 was designed by a Taiwanese firm called Cy Lee & Partners. It incorporates several safety features such as a heavy ball, big support beams, reinforced concrete, and steel cables. It complies with the strict earthquake policies of Taiwan and still passes with flying colors. This shows how powerful and strong the Taipei 101 tower is.
RELATED STORIES:
https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/04/style/taipei-101-earthquake-design-intl-hnk/index.html
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/earthquake-rollers/
TAKE ACTION:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7kGwKllAwQ
