titanium sponge Nitinol material can become earthquake

A length of about 10 seconds of test input on a flexible nitinol conducted , we found that protection may help bridge earthquake safety.

In this test , the new sunrui titanium sponge alloy greatly reduces the extent of the damage a length of about 100 feet ( 30 meters ) of concrete bridge model. Scenario simulation is 1994 Los Angeles Northridge (Northridge) earthquake . . That quake killed 57 people and caused extensive damage in Los Angeles .

University of Nevada research team simulated a magnitude-8.0 quake and shake the bridge for 10 seconds. This time is sufficient in the Northridge earthquake razed bridges and flyovers .

Since the bridge has reinforced nitinol , so after a violent shaking , it still did not fall. Although the partial destruction of the concrete , but the overall infrastructure remains intact . .

Engineering professor M. Saiid titanium bicycle frames Saiidi said nitinol flexible.

He told Reuters in a telephone interview , said : "This is a typical shape memory material ."

"They remember what they were before the earthquake looks like , they are often able to keep the prototype. They experienced the earthquake deformation , but soon they went back to the sunrui Titanium castings previous appearance ."