New columns will help bridges withstand earthquakes

New columns will help bridges withstand earthquakes

01-20-2020


New columns will help bridges withstand earthquakes Today’s Video of the Day from the National Science Foundation describes a collaborative research effort to design much more sturdy collumns. Virtually every common construction material is used for column construction. • Steel, timber, concrete (reinforced and pre-stressed), and masonry (brick, block, and stone). The selection of a particular material may be made based on the following material. Such as concrete, metal, steel, etc. 

Led by Professor Petros Sideris at Texas A&M University, a team of researchers is testing the performance of hybrid sliding-rocking columns.  As seen above in video, the new construction and make up of the New columns will help bridges withstand earthquakes. Columns are designed with larger safety factors than other structural components. Failure of a joist or beam may be localized and may not severely affect the building’s integrity. 

These columns will provide the same support as traditional bridge columns, but will also have specialized joints and tendons that allow them to move without becoming damaged. The column is an important structural element that balances the structure of buildings at the top of the column (roof/ceiling) and bottom of the column.

By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer

Video Credit: Texas A&M University

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