Earthquake Tower
It's HUGE! This model is 8-1/2 inches wide (corner to corner) and a whopping 54 inches tall! It is 39 inches tall if you don't include the antennas.
Tall buildings built in earthquake-prone areas are designed with a special type of structural frame that allows them to flex and absorb energy from earthquakes and other forces of nature. Without these highly engineered designs, the forces put on the building by an earthquake would cause the building to literally be shaken apart, and collapse.
This model illustrates how tall buildings and towers can be free to move by using special joints to connect alternating floors. This necessary property of skyscrapers helps to balance and mitigate the forces imparted on them by nature. Earthquakes, wind, and gravity all must be accounted for when designing a skyscraper or tower. Without the ability of the building to move and adjust to the forces of nature, tall buildings would crumble and fall too easily, and we wouldn't have them in the world today.
Engineers use 'shake-tables' to simulate earthquakes on models of buildings to test how they will react to the forces of nature. These 'shake-tables' can simulate many different types of earthquakes and can give the engineers insight into how to make a tall building stronger and safer. with this model, you can simulate the same effect simply by shifting the base around with your hands and watch the tower sway and bend, coming back to rest vertically when the motion stops.
It also makes a great addition to any model train display or a spectacular piece of office decor.
