An earthquake simulation has found that taller timber frame buildings can perform safely in a major earthquake.
Earthquake engineering researchers from British Columbia examined the seismic performance of a full-size, six-storey wood building on the world’s largest shake table at a facility in Miki City, Japan.
The research project simulated ground shakings modelled on the Northridge earthquake, which caused major damage in Los Angeles in 1994.
The building was shaken for about 40 seconds: the results showed that additional seismic risks in six-storey wood frame construction can be managed with proper design.
In April this year, the Province of British Columbia increased the maximum allowable height of wood-frame residential buildings from four to six-storeys.
“This research provides key information about how mid-rise, wood frame buildings would perform in earthquakes,” said minister of housing and social development Rich Coleman.
“This shake test also proved to building officials around Asia-Pacific that larger wood frame construction is resilient to earthquakes.”
