Monumental Shake Table Testing

Have you ever been in an earthquake? Literally felt the earth move under your feet (not just sang the song in the shower)? Those few moments of movement are some of the most disconcerting moments as your mind flashes – how long will this last? where do I go? what do I do? It is a scary event anywhere, but for people at critical facilities, such as hospitals, it is even more serious. Hospitals are save havens – where people go to heal and get cared for when emergencies arise. When natural disasters disrupt their operation, everybody suffers.

Why the serious conversation on earthquakes? BAC is proud to be involved in ground breaking (no pun intended) building research being done in San Diego, CA. A team of researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), is currently shake table testing a full-sized building – and sitting right on top is a BAC PT2 Cooling Tower. The five story building is filled with hospital equipment and computers and includes elevators, piping, a cooling tower, and numerous non-structural elements. The table will shake to the levels of earthquakes such as the 2010 San Pedro earthquake in Chile and the 1994 Northridge earthquake in California.

This testing is part of the National Science Foundation’s 14-site national Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation. BAC is pleased to be included in such an important series of simulations! Check out this story done by CBS News about the testing, and check out that nice shot of the PT2! 

AND – For more information about BAC’s PT2 – check out or product section!

Monumental Shake Table Testing

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