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Japan Creates Earthquake-Proof Levitating House System
An anonymous reader writes "Japanese company Air Danshin Systems Inc. has developed an innovative system that levitates houses in the in the event of an earthquake to protect them from structural damage. When an earthquake hits, a sensor responds within one second by activating a compressor, which forces an incredible amount of air under the home, pushing the structure up and apart from its foundation. The air pressure can keep the home levitating up to 3cm from the shaking foundation below. In the wake of last year's Fukushima disaster the company is set to install the levitation system in 88 houses across Japan."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NubZJA4c_Rw
Seems like it would require an awful lot of force just to float a small house. An interesting idea that might be useful in other areas. But I don't see how this could catch on long term for things like apartment buildings or skyscrapers.
And let's not forget that it wasn't so much the earthquake that devastated Japan. But it was the wall of water that mowed down everything in its path.
Well, if the system is based on the same air curtain setup as a hovercraft, liquefaction is a non-issue. Now landslides OTOH may be a bit tougher to contend with...
Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
And let's not forget that it wasn't so much the earthquake that devastated Japan. But it was the wall of water that mowed down everything in its path.
I'm not sure if you're aware, but earthquakes are much more common in Japan than tsunami are. Remember Kobe? There's a list of major earthquakes in Japan that might put things in perspective. Saving houses from substantial earthquake damage would be a major gain for the country.
(Mind, I'm not saying that tsunami aren't an issue -- just that earthquakes are also an issue, and a different problem set.)
Cheers,
"What in the name of Fats Waller is that?"
"A four-foot prune."
The earthquake and tsunami was the disaster, not the accident at Fukushima. There were dead people from the nuclear accident and 50,000 evacuated (not counting those in the evacuation zone whose houses have been destroyed by the tsunami) is a lot less worse than the earthquake's and tsunami's 20.000 dead + 500,000 evacuated.
... and the unwillingness of the Japanese to raise tsunami protection of cities, which reasonably enough was the same height for cities as for nuclear power plants, from 6m to 16m. Strangely enough, there was no finger pointing and no complaints about lacking tsunami protection of cities, where ... well, you know, people live (and died) and didn't get an advance warning of 2 days to evacuate before the tsunami hit.
Half a million were evacuated from utterly destroyed houses in an area now prohibited from permanent human habitation because of the tsunami hazard
I don't care if it's practical or not - it's damn cool!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzSuuk4um44
A house doesn't sit on the entire square area of the floor space. It sits on maybe an 8-12 inch wide concrete or block wall around the perimeter of the house. So your 20x40 house is sitting on about 11,264 in^2 of foundation. This yields a figure of over 7psi.
My house wasn't designed to float on a cushion of air, but I'm certain that if you filled the crawlspace with 0.7 psi of air, it would float by the buoyancy against the underside of the floors. If I were designing the house to float, I'd give it a flat bottom.
I've heard some stupid ideas in my time, but this takes the cake.
Seriously, man. Don't you think there could be a problem with a house that is not actually attached to its foundations?
What's the deal with compressed air levitation. Is it good or is it whack?
Many many houses in earthquake zones (like Memphis TN and surrounding regions) are barely attached to their foundations - often by a few rusting anchor bolts set into aging crumbling concrete. When a moderately big earthquake hits, many of those houses are going to fall off of their foundations, but unlike this Japanese house, they weren't meant to.
It's the 21st century here in Japan. Any shoji screens still in houses are usually decorative or a just to give a little visual privacy.
We use real walls.
Most people seem to die from the fires that inevitably follow the earthquakes, not under the collapsed structures.
This. I was in Tokyo when the earthquake hit and nothing collapsed. Some loose tiles and a lot of small items fell over, over there were no buildings falling down, ceilings caving in, vending machines tipping over anything like that. Japan is built to be earthquake-proof because anything that isn't won't last long. They must average a magnitude 5+ a month, and when it happens the trains stop for a few minutes and most people barely react.
Floating houses are not a new idea in Japan. Years back someone developed a system where the house was buoyant and would float if the area was flooded. It had foundations that could slide up and down (metal runners) so it wouldn't just drift away.
I'm not entirely sure what the point of this system is. Saving ancient historic buildings perhaps?
const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
We use real walls.
Not according to wikipedia, which says timber frames are popular.
At least in the West, "timber frame" means that the load bearing structures are wooden beams connected by joinery. This is supposedly a much stronger structure than the stud-truss that supports most residential housing. The walls inside are still made of studs and drywall or studs, lath and plaster. Sometimes, "wood frame" is used to distinguish from "steel frame," meaning that the studs that hold up the drywall are made of wood rather than steel. In any case "timber frame" in no way connotes paper walls, let alone fusuma.