Empa researches earthquake safety for multi-storey buildings

Empa researchers are conducting practical tests on the stability of multi-storey timber buildings against wind gusts and minor earthquakes. According to a press release, the results should help to optimize construction planning, especially for increasingly popular wooden buildings, which are usually four to five storeys high, and increase building safety. They should also help to increase the competitiveness of wood as a sustainable building material for multi-storey buildings.

The construction industry is therefore reliant on data that is as close to reality as possible in terms of stiffness, basic vibration times and damping. Such data can be used to ensure that exactly the right amount of material is used in the right places.

For their investigation on a real object, the group from the Engineering Structures research department uses a hydraulic horizontal oscillator, a so-called shaker. It can set up to 1000 kilograms of vibrating mass in motion in a controlled manner. According to the information provided, the data obtained so far now delivers results on the dynamic properties of a multi-storey timber construction using the usual construction method in this country.

At an open day on September 14, 2024, it will be demonstrated how the shaker is used to cause a structural model to vibrate, which can occur during earthquakes. The model will show how the weight and stiffness distribution in the structure influences its vibration behavior. ce/heg