Are buildings resilient against earthquakes?

This manuscript reviews seismic isolation and response control methods of buildings, which are able to make buildings resilient against earthquakes and have become popular during the last three decades in Japan.

What is earthquake resistant design?

The conventional earthquake resistant design relies on the strength and ductility of the structural components to resist earthquake-induced forces and dissipate the seismic energy, thereby preventing the collapse of structures in case of an earthquake.

What are the benefits of earthquake protection devices?

On average, initial savings of 15% on the project overall cost. Continued operations after an earthquake and lower rebuilding costs. 04. Environment-friendly Earthquake protection devices allow to considerably lighten the superstructure and the foundations of a structure. 05. Low maintenance Easy installation & replacement, low maintenance. 06.

What is seismic isolation technology?

Seismic isolation technology involves placing an isolation layer between the foundation and superstructure, or within the superstructure itself, to mitigate and restrict the transmission of earthquake energy to the upper structure, thereby reducing the seismic response.

Which building in Japan used a seismic isolation retrofit?

The National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo was the first building in Japan that used the seismic isolation retrofit (Saito et al. 2013). The lower left figure in Fig. 13 shows the sectional view of the original museum, and the lower right figure shows the one after the seismic isolation retrofit.

Can a building survive a severe earthquake?

When a conventional building is subjected to a severe earthquake, the building can manage to avoid a collapse and save the occupants’ lives. However, the furniture and equipment inside the building will most likely fall down and the structural elements may suffer severe damage (Fig. 4).