Purdue Expert: Upgrading old buildings with earthquake-proof tech

23Likes

602Views

Feb 192025

Media is welcome to use this video for TV, radio or podcasts or pull quotes for print articles. #purdue #purdueuniversity #purduenews Akanshu Sharma is a named associate professor in the College of Engineering at Purdue University. In this video, he explains that most older buildings were not built with earthquakes in mind and how a new construction method could help reinforce them. Sharma says more than 50% of all buildings worldwide are not seismically designed. In developing countries, the total number of earthquake-vulnerable buildings can be as high as 90%. Even a small earthquake can lead to significant damage or a total collapse of these structures. Haunches act like a knee-brace for the steel joints of buildings. These haunches are able to be installed on older buildings without needing to rebuild or close them down completely for refurbishment. Reinforcing older construction with haunches like this can protect a building from earthquakes for up to 100 years. If all goes smoothly, Sharma predicts implementation of this construction method could begin within the next 1 to 2 years. Inside Purdue’s Bowen Labs, Sharma is testing a two-story structure meant to mimic buildings constructed before earthquake codes went into effect. After testing how much movement this building can withstand, Sharma will conduct a second, future test seeing if the addition of steel haunches to the structure’s joints could be a possible simple solution for making older buildings more resilient to earthquakes.