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Engineering

Assessing the Seismic Resilience of a Base-Isolated Hospital Structure

Quick fact

A well-designed base-isolated hospital can remain functional after a magnitude 8 earthquake, even when surrounding buildings are severely damaged, because its isolators absorb most of the seismic energy, allowing it to stay open for emergency care.

Why this is interesting

Hospitals are supposed to be the safest places in an earthquake, but during a major quake, even a strong building can become unusable while still standing. How can we guarantee that a hospital not only survives but stays operational to save lives?