How A Steel Ball Shielded Taiwan's Tallest Skyscraper During Earthquake
The Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taiwan, standing at an impressive 508 meters (1,667 feet) tall, is not only a marvel of modern engineering but also a testament to the country's resilience against natural disasters, particularly earthquakes. In 2015, during a magnitude 6.4 earthquake, Taipei 101 showcased its innovative tuned mass damper (TMD) system, which helped mitigate the impact of the seismic activity. The tuned mass damper is essentially a massive pendulum installed near the top of the skyscraper. It serves to counteract the swaying motion caused by strong winds or earthquakes, thus ensuring the stability and safety of the building. The pendulum works by moving in the opposite direction to the building's movement, effectively reducing the sway and minimizing any potential damage. During the 2015 earthquake, the TMD system in Taipei 101 swung into action. The massive steel ball, weighing 660 metric tons, began to move, absorbing and dissipating the energy generated by the ...