Building In An Earthquake Zone? Try Steel Buildings With Mass Dampers

Building is always a risky procedure, particularly if you are constructing in an earthquake-prone area. Many people may try to tell you to build with concrete to save money, but it is actually better to just spend more money and get the structural steel types.

Why Earthquakes Are Dangerous To Concrete Buildings

Concrete buildings might seem like a wise choice because they are often less expensive than steel ones. That said, it is problematic to install these types of buildings in an earthquake zone. That's because they are particularly prone to the kind of shaking and earth movement that can cause serious cracks and damage to otherwise sturdy structures.

In fact, there's a good chance that the most commonly collapsed buildings in earthquakes are concrete ones. That's because concrete, while a tough building material, is often easily prone to compression, shaking, and movement damage, the kind of which occurs during an earthquake.

Structural Steel Is Resistant To Earthquakes

If you are concerned about the dangers of earthquakes affecting your buildings, consider switching to structural steel. This material is designed to resist the type of shaking damage that occurs during a severe earthquake. Even a smaller earthquake, such as one on two or three on the Richter scale can be dangerous. Building a structure out of structural steel increases its strength and minimizes the chance of collapse. Even better, you can boost the building strength even more by adding a mass damper on top of the structure.

Steel Tuned Mass Dampers Are Particularly Beneficial

While building high-rise structures with steel is a wise decision, you should also consider building steel tuned mass dampers. These devices are added to the top of a building to help keep them from swaying excessively in the wind and when the ground shakes during a serious earthquake. In fact, this type of device can actually cut down your building swaying by 30-40 percent.

That level of dampening is critical in an earthquake situation. That's because structural steel buildings often commonly fall because of the swaying, not because of the pressure on the building. By cutting down that swaying, you minimize the risk of completely structural collapse occurring on any of your steel buildings.

So if you want to build high-quality structures in an earthquake-prone area, it is important to talk to a structural steel supply company as soon as possible. They can provide you with the material you need to create not only your structure but the tuned mass dampers that keep your structure from serious damage.

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