Image credit – Takumi Ota
Due to Japan being situated in a volcanic zone on the Pacific Ring of Fire, earthquakes tend to happen every now and then. This is why if you were to visit Japan, you will realize that many of their buildings are outfitted with engineering features that will help protect buildings from collapsing or crumbling during the event of an earthquake.
However what about older buildings that were built with older technology? These buildings are retrofitted with the features needed, but it involves bracing and bolting the building to its foundation which can be troublesome, expensive, not to mention the look isn’t particularly aesthetically pleasing. However a company called the Komatsu Seiten Fabric Laboratory has come up with a rather novel idea.
As you can see in the photo above, the company has come up with the idea of using carbon fiber strands to hold these buildings down. Carbon fiber makes sense as a material of choice as not only is it as strong as steel, but it does not add bulk unlike steel rods. The invention the company has come up with is also relatively light and flexible. A 520-foot coil is said to weigh less than a garden hose and can be carried in one hand.
Now it seems unlikely that the whole of Japan will begin covering its buildings with this “string” as it would be impractical, not to mention impossible in more urban settings. Instead it might be more useful in more remote locations where space is available, or used to protect historical landmarks which might not have been reinforced.