Big Shock Absorber Could Help Utah Building Survive An Earthquake

The work done to earthquake proof the Salt Lake Temple is amazing, but it makes you wonder what the rest of the buildings in Utah would do in a big earthquake. This new technology out of the UAE could be part of the solution.

Cutting-Edge Solutions: Technology from the UAE

With the Temple in Salt Lake they sunk cables through the outer walls that secured the whole thing together on top of giant rollers. This will make the whole structure roll together when the earth shakes.

Not every building can afford to have this kind of earthquake proofing done to it. This idea from a professor at the University of Sharjah is to take the energy from an earthquake and turn it into heat.

Cost-Effective Protection: A Game Changer for Buildings

It features tightly packed balls with rods between that act in a way to absorb the motion of the earthquake. The metal on metal turns to heat that is stored and can slowly dissipate. It is kind of like the shocks in your car that makes it so you don't feel the bumps.

The other great thing about this system is that it doesn't require electricity or any kind of power. It can be placed in any structure and lowered the impact of an earthquake by 14% in tests.

Read More: How Tiny Data Centers Could Change How Utah Sees Them

Engineers are coming up with some stunning solutions when it comes to making buildings and other structures able to survive a major earthquake. Utah can look to this technology to protect the state in the future.