the unstable ground makes Japan the last place on earth an engineer would choose
place on earth an engineer would choose
place on earth an engineer would choose to build the world’s longest suspension
to build the world’s longest suspension
to build the world’s longest suspension bridge if the ground beneath a
bridge if the ground beneath a
bridge if the ground beneath a suspension bridge is shaken by an
suspension bridge is shaken by an
suspension bridge is shaken by an earthquake we could in the worst case
earthquake we could in the worst case
earthquake we could in the worst case for example get a tower toppling over
for example get a tower toppling over
for example get a tower toppling over obviously a catastrophic event
the first line of defense against
the first line of defense against earthquake is the bridge towers
earthquake is the bridge towers
earthquake is the bridge towers themselves they’re built from steel to
themselves they’re built from steel to
themselves they’re built from steel to make them flexible if a tremor hits the
make them flexible if a tremor hits the
make them flexible if a tremor hits the steel towers can move with the earth to
steel towers can move with the earth to
steel towers can move with the earth to absorb the shock
and inside each tower lies a second
and inside each tower lies a second layer protection 20 huge pendulums
layer protection 20 huge pendulums
layer protection 20 huge pendulums called dampers each 10 ton dampener
called dampers each 10 ton dampener
called dampers each 10 ton dampener hangs from a frame if a tremor caused
hangs from a frame if a tremor caused
hangs from a frame if a tremor caused the tower to lurch one way the huge
the tower to lurch one way the huge
the tower to lurch one way the huge hydraulic dampers swing in the opposite
hydraulic dampers swing in the opposite
hydraulic dampers swing in the opposite direction counteract the shift and
direction counteract the shift and
direction counteract the shift and prevent the tower from falling over
to test the dampers in the absence of an
to test the dampers in the absence of an earthquake engineers resort to a novel
earthquake engineers resort to a novel
earthquake engineers resort to a novel approach they carefully choreographed
approach they carefully choreographed
approach they carefully choreographed more than 100 workers to sway in perfect
more than 100 workers to sway in perfect
more than 100 workers to sway in perfect harmony to mimic a tremor during this
harmony to mimic a tremor during this
harmony to mimic a tremor during this man-made quake the dampers react to keep
man-made quake the dampers react to keep
man-made quake the dampers react to keep the tower steady but on January the 17th
the tower steady but on January the 17th
the tower steady but on January the 17th 1995 nature tests the technology for
1995 nature tests the technology for
1995 nature tests the technology for real
a magnitude 7 earthquake devastates Kobe
a magnitude 7 earthquake devastates Kobe the city on the Akashi bridges north
the city on the Akashi bridges north
the city on the Akashi bridges north bank
it kills over 6,000 people and destroys
it kills over 6,000 people and destroys more than 100,000 buildings but the
more than 100,000 buildings but the
more than 100,000 buildings but the Akashi bridge survives saved by its
Akashi bridge survives saved by its
Akashi bridge survives saved by its dampers it still bears the scars of that
dampers it still bears the scars of that
dampers it still bears the scars of that fateful day the earthquake opens a fault
fateful day the earthquake opens a fault
fateful day the earthquake opens a fault line in the seabed directly under the
line in the seabed directly under the
line in the seabed directly under the bridge
this causes the ground and bridge towers
this causes the ground and bridge towers to shift apart and stretches the bridge
to shift apart and stretches the bridge
to shift apart and stretches the bridge by over three feet engineers must fill
by over three feet engineers must fill
by over three feet engineers must fill this space with extra decking to join it
this space with extra decking to join it
this space with extra decking to join it to the shoreline as a result of this
to the shoreline as a result of this
to the shoreline as a result of this earthquake the longest bridge in the
earthquake the longest bridge in the
earthquake the longest bridge in the world became a little bit longer
the Akashi bridge proves the strength of
the Akashi bridge proves the strength of its record-breaking design in the most
its record-breaking design in the most
its record-breaking design in the most challenging environment
it is the culmination of over two
it is the culmination of over two centuries of innovation and engineering
centuries of innovation and engineering
centuries of innovation and engineering breakthroughs
after more than a decade of operation it
after more than a decade of operation it remains the longest and tallest
remains the longest and tallest
remains the longest and tallest suspension bridge in the world
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