Media Advisory 09-018
In Defiance of Earthquakes
Largest shake-table experiment ever attempted will test 23-unit condo building against motions of a 2,500-year earthquake
A six-story condominium building being readied for a full-scale earthquake test.
July 7, 2009
Video footage of the test, additional b-roll and interviews with researchers will be available through Dena Headlee at dheadlee@nsf.gov or (703) 292-7739.
This material is available primarily for archival purposes. Telephone numbers or other contact information may be out of date; please see current contact information at media contacts.
On July 14, a six-story condominium building will shake with the earthquake motions of the 1994 Northridge quake, but one and a half times as intense--more powerful than any quake California has experienced in modern times. The final experiment of NSF's multi-year NEESWood project, part of the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation, the effort will test new ways to construct woodframe buildings that can withstand the severe forces of nature.
Only hours after the test--occurring overnight at Japan's E-Defense facility, home of the world's largest shake table, which can simulate high level ground motions--the National Science Foundation will hold a live webcast featuring footage from the shake. The webcast will also offer an opportunity for media and members of the public to ask questions of lead investigator John van de Lindt of Colorado State University--on location in Japan--and others involved with the project.
Images, video and background information about the project are accessible at http://www.nsf.gov/neeswood/, with new materials being added as the final test draws closer.
| What: | Webcast highlighting the world's largest shake table test |
| When: | July 14, 2009, at 11:00 a.m. EDT |
| Where: | U.S. media can call 866-844-9416 to participate in the webcast by phone. The verbal passcode for callers is NSF. A list of dial-in numbers for countries around the world appears below. Both media and members of the public can take part in the webcast online by going to http://www.science360.gov/live. Please note: A username and password will not be required to access this page on July 14. All are encouraged to submit questions in advance at webcast@nsf.gov. |
| Who: | John van de Lindt, civil engineer at Colorado State University and principal investigator for NEESWood Hidemaru Shimizu, researcher with E-Defense, Japan National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention Hiroshi Isoda, Associate Professor, Dept. of Architecture & Civil Engineering Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan Joy Pauschke, director of NSF's George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation research program |
Additional information is available through the Colorado State University press release.
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Dial in numbers:
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Media Contacts
Joshua A. Chamot, NSF, (703) 292-7730, email: jchamot@nsf.gov
Emily Narvaes Wilmsen, Colorado State University, (970) 491-2336, email: Emily.Wilmsen@colostate.edu
Program Contacts
Joy M. Pauschke, NSF, (703) 292-7024, email: jpauschk@nsf.gov
Principal Investigators
John van de Lindt, Colorado State University, 011819061721424., email: jwv@engr.colostate.edu
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