Sometimes foreign people ask to Japanese people about Japanese earthquake. I think after big earthquake, many foreigners ask us.
And sometimes foreign people are surprised at seeing Japanese earthquake movie. So they are afraid to live in Japan.
By the way, actually in the big earthquake, many building has damaged. However almost buildings had endured such a earthquake.
Now, why can the Japanese building have endured such a big earthquake?
In this article, I will introduce about Japanese building technology about earthquake.
1．Japanese earthquake
Studying about Japanese earthquake, there were many earthquake from ancient generation. Then only seeing about 100 years, big earthquake had occured in Tokyo.And about 30 years ago, there was a big earthquake around Osaka. In this earthquake, many building had been damaged.
Then recently, in Kanto areas, so big earthquake had occured and big tsunami.
2．Japanese building technology
However, Japanese engineers had developed about constructions. And 3 types of constructions are planned.2-1．Earthquake-resistant construction
Earthquake-resistant construction is one of popular construction. It has strong parts to endur the big earthquake. Nowadays buildings are this construction has adopted.This construction is very strong. But effect of making smaller is not good. Then the going to room of vibration
2-2．Vibration control structure
In this construction is put into dumpers. And it will the energy of earthquake smaller.Then the vibration also be smaller. So in the room are not big damaged.
2-3．Seismic isolation structure
In this construction, bottom of building have a kind of shock spring. Then if earthquake would come, the shock spring will be the vibration smaller.3．How about old building
On the other hand, there are many old buildings. And they are used now.But how about old building?
Actually the old buildings have no strength like today's building. However, many old building have not broken by big earthquake, and be used as office building, or apartments. For example, 50 or 60 years old apartments are used.
Then, the unbroken buildings are evidence of safety. So you can use the old buildings.
4．Experiments
By the way, there are a lot of checking for strength of building. They are checked as material, parts, and building.4-1．Material
There are many materials with making building. For example, concrete, steel, wood, plastic, there are.And the materials checked with many methods. Steel is tensile strength should be measured. And concrete is checked by compression.
And the checking methods are ruled by standards.
4-2．Parts
Checking is not only material, but parts are checked. For example, by steel bolts and nuts are checked as parts assembled.In fact they are checked tensile strength as assembled. Because checking material strength, it would be only steel wire. But the strength of assembled parts of the conditions should be near the installed in the building.
4-3．Building
By the way, can you imagine the real earthquake test? In Japanese companies sometimes test the real construction.Actually, it is in the testing facilities. But I think the real vibration test is so big scale.
Anyway, perhaps you might be surprised at the earthquake test, you would understand the Japanese construction technology. Actually, in Japan there are many earthquake. But I want you to know, Japanese engineers are developed about construction.
Japanese buildings have high leveled safety. So please feel great security.
