Steel frame reins in hurricane destruction

Julie Kalista
Online Editor

In the future, findings from a recent earthquake simulation may help limit destruction caused by earthquakes.

Allied Tube & Conduit (ACD), with researchers from the University of California, San Diego, (UCSD) recently shook Dynastructure, a pre-engineered, cold-formed steel framing at UCSD's Englekirk Structural Engineering Center. Dynastructure components are cold-formed tubular steel elements and, they are all pre-drilled and welded in tight-tolerance jigs.

The seismic simulation shook a one story building (32 x 20 x 12 ft.) for 30 seconds, simulated a 7.3 magnitude quake. "Not only did the structure remain standing, but it showed no signs of faults, cracks, or connection issues," according to one researcher.

A second test increased the intensity of the shake by a factor of 1.5 to replicate the International Building Code's maximum considered earthquake. This shake was equivalent to a once-in-2,500-year earthquake and yieled the same results: no damages.