Innovative 'Fuse Structure' Isolates Damage in High-Rise Buildings
A team of researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) has developed a novel method for constructing resilient buildings, inspired by the self-detaching tails of lizards. Dubbed the "fuse structure," this design could serve as a last line of defense against catastrophic collapses in high-rise buildings.
Learning from Nature's Resilience
Lizards employ an ingenious self-defense mechanism that allows them to escape predators by shedding one or more appendages. The tail is composed of distinct segments, each representing a potential breaking point. Current building designs focus on redistributing loads in case of damage to a single element. While this approach is effective for localized failures, it can increase the risk of progressive collapse in the event of major damage. Recent disasters like the Champlain Towers collapse in Florida in 2021 and the Abadan disaster in Iran in 2022 highlight the catastrophic consequences of such failures.
The Fuse Structure: A Game-Changer
The ICITECH-UPV research team sought to overcome this limitation by introducing the "fuse structure." They developed a new paradigm to create buildings that can withstand threats such as flooding, earthquakes, aging, and even poor maintenance. The concept is analogous to protecting an electrical system from overload by connecting different sections of the grid through fuses, explains Nirvan Makoond, a member of ICITECH-UPV and co-author of the study.
The novel design maintains structural stability under normal operating conditions. However, when damage becomes inevitable, the team's invention isolates the failure, preventing complete collapse and safeguarding the rest of the building. This minimizes both loss of life and financial damage, while incurring minimal additional construction costs.
Real-World Validation
To test the design in practice, the team constructed a life-sized building from precast concrete. When subjected to a simulated major failure, they observed that the damage was isolated, preventing the entire structure from collapsing.
Implications for Building Safety
According to study co-author José M. Adam, implementing the fuse structure design has the potential to prevent catastrophic collapses, safeguarding lives and minimizing economic losses. The research was recently published in the prestigious journal Nature.
Potential Applications
The fuse structure approach has implications for a wide range of building types, including skyscrapers, bridges, and hospitals. It provides a robust and cost-effective solution to enhance structural resilience and prevent the devastating consequences of building collapses.