People living on fault lines know that the next big earthquake could be right around the corner. While newer building codes are designed to keep structures from collapsing, what about historic buildings?
Researchres at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany are developing “wallpaper” to reinforce historic buildings.
Designed as a “seismic fabric”, “Sigma Calce” is a woven blend of glass and polypropylene fibers laid in four directions that provides excellent tensile strength. It’s applied by plastering over exterior walls.
But how would this seismic fabric hold up when the “Big One” finally hits? So far, the system is designed to support buildings during small or medium intensity quakes only. Testing has shown, however, that Sigma Calce technology would still be instrumental in saving lives during a big earthquake. If a building were to collapse, the fabric would extend the time that the wall stays bound together, providing crucial moments for people to reach safety.
In the future, the K.I.T. team plans to research new materials that could further increase the structural integrity of buildings. According to team leader Lothar Stempneiwski, “The challenge in the case of concrete is the higher force that must be absorbed. We thus test new materials such as carbon fibers. In doing so, we at the same time lay the foundations for future innovations to be developed by KIT.”
Read More at KIT
Images Courtesy of KIT and Wikipedia
