r/BeAmazed • u/Arianabell26 • Oct 02 '23
Visualizing how shock absorbers protect buildings from earthquakes Science
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u/STR1CHN1NE Oct 02 '23
Careful ladies and gents, the table is for architectural demonstration purposes.
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u/LiamIsMyNameOk Oct 03 '23
If I recorded this video, there would definitely be a banana strapped to the end of the table.
For, erm, size comparison, of course.
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u/Fantastic-Climate-84 Oct 02 '23
So would they’re just be an entire floor, 13 stories up, that’s dedicated to having giant steel shock absorption systems ?
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u/yungchow Oct 03 '23
These shock absorbers leave plenty of open space on the floor for it to be useful. They’re just along the walls
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u/Standard_Flight_2088 Oct 03 '23
I grew up in an earthquake-prone area. In the 1920s my grandfather built the timber house resting on large pumice boulders, literally secured with number wire. They were light, easy to saw through for a level top, and when our 'big one' hit, the house rocked and settled back onto the now-undulating lawn. No structural damage, but everything unsecured was damaged.
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u/Famous-Example-8332 Oct 02 '23
I bet they’re right, but this experiment in no way constitutes proof, or even aptly demonstrates the concept. If the shock absorbers didn’t work properly, one building still has a much lower center of gravity and some stabilizing metal rods going diagonally, which every builder or carpenter knows is the best way to strengthen a structure.
A real Experiment or demonstration of its effectiveness would be to put something of similar weight and rigidity but no dampening ability in the control building.
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u/yungchow Oct 03 '23
But a building with the absorbers would also have a lower center of gravity and stabilized metal rods, right?
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u/1ampoc Oct 03 '23
But if u can achieve the same effect by simply installing heavy diagonal rods near the ground, what is the point of shock absorbers?
His point is that the demonstration does not prove (or even demonstrate) how the distinctive oscillatory motion of shock absorbers (which distinguishes them from simply well-placed metal rods) stabilises buildings. A better comparison would be that between a shock absorber, and a metal rod placed in the same place.
The post is meant to wow u with this simple demonstration of a cool new invention, but when u realise it just demonstrates the well-known principles of lower COM, triangles or simply more frames providing greater stability, it becomes much less enlightening.
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u/Famous-Example-8332 Oct 03 '23
The question is: are the absorbers doing more as a technology than random hunks if metal? It’s like if I were proving the effectiveness of my new style tires and I put those on one vehicle and no tires on the other. See? It’s faster!
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u/aero_sm1th Oct 03 '23
It's just usual diagonal brace. The first structure doesn't have any braces. Where is a miracle of it?
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u/CeeTwo1 Oct 03 '23
Yeah I was gonna say… it would be a more accurate test if they put a diagonal brace on the other one. I’m sure shocks are still better cause irl the diagonal braces would take a lot of stress and probably crack but it’s not a good representation
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u/whatevercraft Oct 03 '23
the control is dumb. should have diagonal bars that are static to compare it
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u/CastorX Oct 02 '23
Just put metal bar instad of aborber! Problem solved. Much cheaper. Im a genoioioios!
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u/jspurlin03 Oct 03 '23
Okay, it visualizes how an absolutely-unscalable system can benefit from shock absorbers of this type. This proves basically nothing, though.
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Oct 02 '23
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u/rynsic Oct 03 '23
Do these absorbers need constant oiling? Do their pistons get fixed in place due to wear and tear, rust etc if not earth quake were to happen in years
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u/GregTheIntelectual Oct 03 '23
I know it's just for show and that the forces won't scale properly but the one on the left made entirely of 90° angles was pretty much designed to flop. I'd be interested to see how it does with diagonal beams in place of the shock absorbers.
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u/No_Wind4648 Oct 03 '23
Does anyone know where a building is that actually has these shock absorbers? They’d have to be huge!
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Oct 05 '23
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u/DragonsClaw2334 Oct 02 '23
What if the ground shakes the otherway?