When construction crews finish remodeling Salt Lake's Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building, it will resist not only earthquakes, but bomb explosions as well.
The technology is new. It's from Japan, and is being used for the first time on a U.S. federal property. Science Specialist Ed Yeates takes a look.
If a big earthquake strikes Salt Lake -- this criss-cross mesh of steel bracing on the Wallace F. Bennett building will stretch back and forth up to three to four inches in all directions.
Reavelley Engineering says inside, workers will feel NO sharp jolts but only slow, softer, almost gentle movements.
Not only that...
PARRY BROWN, REAVELEY & ASSOCIATES: "IT RETAINS ITS STRENGTH AFTERWARDS SO THAT IF WE WERE TO HAVE ANOTHER EARTHQUAKE AFTER THE FIRST ONE OR A STRONG AFTERSHOCK, IT WILL STILL BE CAPABLE OF STANDING AND WITHSTANDING THAT EARTHQUAKE WITHOUT COLLAPSING."
The unique design of the bracing comes from Nipon Steel in Japan. A steel core inside a concrete casing stretches back and forth - absorbing the energy from the quake.
It's used frequently for retrofitting in Japan - but this is the first time it's been used in a federal building in this country.
While Big-D Construction retrofits the structure outside, federal employees inside remain working.
ED YEATES, SCIENCE SPECIALIST: "IN ADDITION TO EARTHQUAKE SAFETY, THE NEW EXTERIOR WALLS ON THE FEDERAL BUILDING ARE ACTUALLY DESIGNED TO RESIST EXPLOSIONS FROM BOMBS - BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE BUILDING."
JEFF JAFARZADEH, PROJECT MANAGER: "THE MOLDS HAVE BEEN UPGRADED - THE WAY THE MOLDS HAVE BEEN SHAPED. THEY'RE NOT HOLLOW. INSIDE THEY HAVE REINFORCEMENT TO WITHSTAND A BLAST."
A blast from the outside would not collapse the walls. A blast inside would be contained so debris would not pepper the sidewalk and street.
Salt Lake's 23-point-five million dollar upgrade could be a model for retrofits on other federal buildings around the country.
Ed Yeates, Eyewitness News, SLC.
Dec. 19, 2001
