ENERTIA® HQTM Hurricane and EarthQuake Resistant Homes
Log homes have a long history of surviving hurricanes and earthquakes because heavy timbers are strong and flexible. Enertia® and Newton's First Law result in a house that can resist the forces of both hurricanes and earthquakes- for areas like Haiti that are subject to both.
Earthquake resistant houses don’t have to look like log homes. Enertia® contemporary Building Blocks can be used to construct houses that match the neighborhood - but with one difference: they are more likely to be left standing.
A Japanese log home is tested on an earthquake shaking table and stands the test!
By decoupling the house from the foundation (with restraints) the massive inertia of the solid-wall heavy-timber house will cause it to remain steady as the foundation shifts in an Earthquake, or aftershock.
The restraining brackets push against coil springs in the x and y axis, while the building is restrained from uplift (z axis). The moment-of-inertia of each building is calculated to determine the springs needed.
In the case of larger homes, or higher buildings, a swinging counterweight can be added- serving as a further restraint. All this mass, of course, anchors the building against wind forces.
Smaller homes, for disaster relief, can be shipped in five wall-panel pieces that can be interlocked on-site with steel rods. Larger homes as a kit, similar the the Enertia® home packages we sell in America.
In the case of larger homes, or higher buildings, a swinging counterweight can be added- serving as a further restraint. All this mass, of course, anchors the building against wind forces.
Smaller homes, for disaster relief, can be shipped in five wall-panel pieces that can be interlocked on-site with steel rods. Larger homes as a kit, similar the the Enertia® home packages we sell in America.