Taiwan’s Taipei 101, the country’s tallest skyscraper, stands tall despite an earthquake | Trends

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Taiwan’s east coast on April 3, killing at least 10 people and injuring hundreds. The quake was followed by strong aftershocks, the most powerful in 25 years, and caused significant damage to several buildings.

Hualien County, the epicenter of the earthquake, is just 130 miles from the capital Taipei. Despite widespread damage to structures across the country, Taipei 101, once the world’s tallest skyscraper, remained unscathed. The 1,667-foot-tall tower swayed slightly during the earthquake but stood firm against the seismic forces.

But how did Taipei 101 survive the violent shaking?

The island nation has a long history of devastating earthquakes, so it has long incorporated seismic requirements into its building codes.

In 1999, the country faced its worst earthquake, killing 2,400 people. According to Taiwan’s National Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (NCREE), the quake destroyed more than 51,000 buildings and damaged an equal number of others.

Since then, Taiwan has enacted stricter building standards that emphasize earthquake-resistant construction techniques. According to NCREE, in 2009 there were about 80 buildings with earthquake-resistant features in Taiwan, but by 2022 that number has increased to more than 1,000.

Taipei 101’s resistance to seismic activity can be attributed to several factors. The construction materials, a combination of concrete and steel, were chosen for their flexibility and strength, allowing the skyscraper to withstand earthquakes. Second, the building rests on a deep foundation supported by reinforced concrete and steel piles dug into the bedrock. In addition, its core is connected to giant outer columns via sturdy steel outrigger trusses for added stability, CNN reported.

Taipei 101’s stability also relies on its mass damper, a spherical device suspended between the 87th and 92nd floors by 92 thick cables.

“When the building starts shaking,[the tuned mass dampers]move in the opposite direction. In the case of Taipei 101, because they are suspended, they lag behind when the tower shakes and absorb kinetic energy by moving in the opposite direction. ,” said Stephen Al, author of “Supertall: How the World’s Tallest Buildings Are Reshaping Our Cities.” And “Our Lives” told CNN.