we all know how much dangerous an earthquake is and How much it can be damaged in just a moment. Japan is a country where on average 5000 minor earthquakes per year are recorded due to its geographical condition. In an earthquake, massive structures and buildings may collapse in just a moment due to which the country is financially affected and many lives are lost in just a moment of the earthquake. From 2005, A Japanese company Air Danshine working on the concept of a floating House that allows the house to raise enough from ground level to protect the home in case of earthquakes.
Concepts:
This is fully governed by just Air compressor. I never think that a heavy structure or a complete home can be elevated pneumatically. Hydraulic comes into action when we talking about heavy machines, but in this case, pneumatic does this effectively.
The house doesn't look different from other houses only difference in this house has an additional foundation underneath, a sensor, and an air compressor. During stable times, the house sits on a deflected airbag. The sensor monitors seismic activity and tremors. Once, the sensor detected any seismic activity or any tremors. it will send a signal to the air compressor & the air compressor pump air into the airbag, inflating it within a few seconds. The house will levitate off the ground upto1.2 inches (around 30mm) until the tremors have stopped. The air is then slowly released after stopping tremors and bring the house back to the ground.
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| Diagram of how a house would levitate during an earthquake. Image Credits: Air Danshin |
Prototype test:
Before implementing a concept we have to check its prototype first so that we will ensure our concept will well functioning. The company built a house on a shake table and equipped it with a few inhabitants, some furniture, and a couple of glasses of wine. When the fake tremors hit, the inhabitants hardly noticed, and not a drop of wine was spilled.
so, this is how they have tested their prototype.
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| An image of prototype testing. Image credit: Air Danshin |
Future scope of these earth quakeproof House:
This concept of the house can be the futuristic house of Japan like country. The country, mainly affected with earthquake or tremors due to their geographical condition, may use this concept to making their houses so that the country minimize the damage, happens due to earthquake. Although, at that time this technology is somehow costly. everyone can not afford it. But we can see the continuous research and development on this particular technology from which it will update regularly and the price will go down. This type of project government also gives many allowances and subsidies to adopt the technology.
Reference Article:
1. ASME made in Japan earthquake-proof home.
2.Air Danshin, Air Seismic Isolation System
3.Financial Times, The Tokyo skyscrapers that can withstand a major earthquake.
4.US Geological Survey, which country has the most earthquake?
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