Base isolation technology - Antiseismic devices - Algahome

Base isolation is becoming more and more a widespread technique to protect structures from the devastating effects of earthquakes.

How much can be useful to adopt this solution for seismic isolation?

One of the leading causes of death of people during an earthquake is the collapse of houses and other buildings. The design of a building carried out by the latest earthquake standards, leads to design the structural elements so that they can resist earthquake without collapsing, even if some damage is allowed.

This approach, however, does not care about the non-structural elements (floors, curtain walls, windows) or the content of the structure (equipment, furnishings, furniture). What is then to have a hospital after an earthquake still standing but with the high-tech equipment destroyed, floors and curtain walls cracked? The costs of stopping the activity (just when the seismic event would require) and repair after an earthquake are considerable. The seismic isolation technique isolates the structure from the earthquake preventing its devastating energy to penetrate inside.

In this way the structure can be lightened, with considerable savings and, in case of earthquake, all content and non-structural parts are safeguarded. The damages after the earthquake will be so non-existent or marginal and the structure functionality is guaranteed.

But how much does it cost?

Incredibly low, around 1 to 2% of the cost of the structure, far less than it can be the structural damage or business interruption in the event of an earthquake. Do not forget that often the cost of seismic isolators is lower than the structural savings that can be achieved through this technology, so that the cost of seismic isolation can be even negative.

The technology exists to protect against earthquakes and is well tested, it does not cost much and is affordable for everyone. Italy has become one of the world's most advanced standards for the design of structures subjected to seismic risk. Alga is a leading company in this field since many years, our technicians are available to perform linear and non linear analysis to proof how much can be easier to design structures using the base isolation technology.