Taipei 101, Taiwan’s highest tower, withstood a recent 7.4-magnitude earthquake with minor damage. This is due to its revolutionary design, which contains a massive pendulum. The enormous yellow giant steel pendulum in the building’s center helped absorb the shock.
The pendulum, nicknamed “Damper Baby,” is a tuned mass damper, a 660-metric-tonne steel sphere suspended over 1,000 feet above the earth in the center of the building.
According to the news agency, when there is an earthquake or severe winds, the sphere sways to offset the movement of the building, reducing its sway by up to 40%.
The pendulum, which hangs between the 87th and 92nd floors, is made of 41 steel layers. It is over 18 feet in diameter and swings within a 59-inch radius to prevent excessive movement.
Taipei 101 was formerly the world’s tallest building and is still a famous skyscraper in Taiwan. The building’s architecture exemplifies the use of inventive engineering to protect structures in earthquake-prone areas.
What is the giant steel pendulum inside Taipei 101?
The wind-damping ball’s technical name is Tuned Mass Damper (TMD). A TMD is a passive system designed to meet the needs of the building. Its major aim is to prevent swaying caused by heavy winds and make working in such a tall tower simpler.
Traditional concealed dampening systems are out of sight, but the Taipei 101 TMD is both effective and visually appealing. Visitors to the observation deck can observe how the damping system functions as a whole.
The spherical damper built in Taipei 101 rotates back and forth during earthquakes and typhoons
According to the Taipei 101 website, the spherical damper built in Taipei 101 rotates back and forth during earthquakes and typhoons.
This movement absorbs the momentum of any extreme swinging, according to the Taipei 101 website. The damper’s engineers claim it can minimize building movement by up to 40%.