TEST

On June 7, 2001 we organized a test to demonstrate the earthquake-resistance of a building which test was witnessed by many interested people, among them journalists of the written press and TV.

For the occasion we constructed a house according to the described principle, with many vertical and some horizontal tensioning rods, steel tubes around the vertical tensioning rods, pressure distribution plates and sets of dish-springs. The foundation was build up from a hinging steel frame.
Such a hanging frame only is to be used at the test. Normally a concrete foundation is to be used.

The house was lifted by a crane in such a way that its floor made an angle of 30 degrees with the ground, after which it was released for a free fall of about 220 mm. A column broke its fall. We did the same test twice, after which the house proved to be undamaged.     

For comparison
If we take the stroke factor Cs = 2,5 , the acceleration parallel to the frame will be 2,5 x g x sin30 = 2,5 x 0,5 x 9,81 = 12,26 [m/s2]

This is comparable to a heavy earthquake.

Conclusion
Since each wall of each story is subject to the same controlled amount of pressure, the conclusion can be drawn: There's no need for a expensive twin-constructed foundation with spring and buffer elements because this very cheap solution guarantees an earthquake resistant building.

For references please see the articles from
- Telegraaf
- Algemeen Dagblad
- Trouw
- Noordhollands Dagblad
- Technisch Weekblad
- Schager Weekblad

And a taped copy of the tv programs of
- General
- TV Noord Holland
- RTL 4

PHOTO'S OF THE TESTDAY

Hupkens Engineering's earthquake resistant trackinghouse. The trackinghouse construction
method is developed for earthquake resistant houses and business buildings. Resistant for
natural disasters like earthquakes, landslides, cyclones and hurricanes, but also resistant for
terrorist attacks. This earthquake resistant building has a special element in it, what makes the
trackinghouse resistant for the most biggest earthquakes and terror attacks. The earthquake
resistant method is lowcost and therefore extremely suitable for less prosperous inhabitants in
earthquake sensitive areas around the world. The building principle also lends itself well to
mechanized building.