Taipei 101 Tower Causing Earthquakes?

**Adam** · 4th January 2006, 01:03 PM

Wow, massive tower.

Taipei 101, the tallest building in the world, may be causing small earthquakes in the Taipei basin. According to geologist Lin Cheng-horng, a member of Taiwan's most prestigious think tank (the Academia Sinica), earthquake activity has been up since the construction of the tower. The ordinarily stable area has felt about two micro-quakes per year during the construction period (1997-2003); two larger quakes of magnitude 3.8 and 4.2 have occurred directly beneath the tower since the project has been completed.

(Taipei 101)
Lin states that the steel and concrete used to build Taipei 101 weighs 700,000 tons and estimates that the stress from vertical loading (700,000 tons over 3.7 acres) exerts a pressure of 4.7 bars on the ground below.

Special construction techniques used in the building heighten the effect:

"The construction of Taipei 101 is totally different to many other high-rise buildings because it used hybrid structures made of both concrete and steel, to give it added protection from earthquakes and fire. Therefore it has a huge vertical loading on its foundation," says Dr Lin.

In his paper, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, Dr. Lin suggests that stress might be transferred into the upper crust due to the soft sedimentary rocks beneath the Taipei basin. Other geologists express skepticism, citing the relatively short period for which data is available, and the depth of the recent quakes (about 10 kilometers).
As it happens, an early science fiction author wrote a (black humor!) story about the perils of a point load on the earth's surface. William Livingston Alden (1837-1908) wrote in his 1907 short story The Earthquake about an eccentric scientist who figured out how to store gravity in a manner analogous to the storage of electricity. He stored enough gravity in a forty-five foot high conical structure to actually pull the moon down from the sky. Regrettably, the device causes the San Francisco earthquake.
Not to be deterred, the inventor moves his apparatus to Valparaiso, Chile and reloads it - with similar results.
Should you find yourself on the upper levels of Taipei 101, you might take comfort in the fact that it has the world's fastest elevator; read more about The skyscraper that may cause earthquakes.

**Ally** · 4th January 2006, 01:08 PM

I don't think I'd like to live anywhere near that thing.

**Dra'ki Areese** · 4th January 2006, 01:54 PM

damn people always trying to build bigger buildings...

Yuallica · 4th January 2006, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Taipei 101, the tallest building in the world, may be causing small earthquakes...
Special construction techniques used in the building heighten the effect:... because it used hybrid structures made of both concrete and steel, to give it added protection from earthquakes

So making it stronger against earthquarkes makes it more likely to cause earthquakes?

**Dra'ki Areese** · 4th January 2006, 04:40 PM

it might make it weigh more...and be doing so it places more focused pressure on the tectonic plates which causes the earthquakes... but that's just a guess...

Bo · 4th January 2006, 05:04 PM

I liked when our Sears tower was the biggest. Gave us Chicagoans something nice to brag about, other than Michael Jordan!

Mapper · 4th January 2006, 06:14 PM

I remember reading about that, Its still a nice building though!

Bo · 4th January 2006, 06:37 PM

I have seen the two towers that are connected together, the ones in Malaysia. Those are an AWESOME sight! Have you guys heard of the tower being planned in Dubai? It will overtake every building in the world as the ultimate structure. The concept pictures I have seen are amazing.

4th January 2006, 01:03 PM	#1
Adam Lead Administrator Owner Join Date: Oct 1990 Posts: 6,260 Gold: 103,873 My Mood: Thanks: 54 Thanked 714 Times in 225 Posts	Taipei 101 Tower Causing Earthquakes? Wow, massive tower. Taipei 101, the tallest building in the world, may be causing small earthquakes in the Taipei basin. According to geologist Lin Cheng-horng, a member of Taiwan's most prestigious think tank (the Academia Sinica), earthquake activity has been up since the construction of the tower. The ordinarily stable area has felt about two micro-quakes per year during the construction period (1997-2003); two larger quakes of magnitude 3.8 and 4.2 have occurred directly beneath the tower since the project has been completed. (Taipei 101) Lin states that the steel and concrete used to build Taipei 101 weighs 700,000 tons and estimates that the stress from vertical loading (700,000 tons over 3.7 acres) exerts a pressure of 4.7 bars on the ground below. Special construction techniques used in the building heighten the effect: "The construction of Taipei 101 is totally different to many other high-rise buildings because it used hybrid structures made of both concrete and steel, to give it added protection from earthquakes and fire. Therefore it has a huge vertical loading on its foundation," says Dr Lin. In his paper, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, Dr. Lin suggests that stress might be transferred into the upper crust due to the soft sedimentary rocks beneath the Taipei basin. Other geologists express skepticism, citing the relatively short period for which data is available, and the depth of the recent quakes (about 10 kilometers). As it happens, an early science fiction author wrote a (black humor!) story about the perils of a point load on the earth's surface. William Livingston Alden (1837-1908) wrote in his 1907 short story The Earthquake about an eccentric scientist who figured out how to store gravity in a manner analogous to the storage of electricity. He stored enough gravity in a forty-five foot high conical structure to actually pull the moon down from the sky. Regrettably, the device causes the San Francisco earthquake. Not to be deterred, the inventor moves his apparatus to Valparaiso, Chile and reloads it - with similar results. Should you find yourself on the upper levels of Taipei 101, you might take comfort in the fact that it has the world's fastest elevator; read more about The skyscraper that may cause earthquakes. Get your own personal forum Like these ones - Personal forum listing Bored @ work? Play in our arcade! Useful Tips on how to use UOForums Open your own blog

4th January 2006, 01:08 PM	#2
Ally The Couch Hottie Join Date: Aug 2004 Shard: Lake Austin, Atlantic Posts: 4,420 Gold: 3,013 My Mood: Thanks: 36 Thanked 10 Times in 10 Posts	Re: Taipei 101 Tower Causing Earthquakes? I don't think I'd like to live anywhere near that thing.

4th January 2006, 01:54 PM	#3
Dra'ki Areese Slave to emptiness Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 343 Gold: 70 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Taipei 101 Tower Causing Earthquakes? damn people always trying to build bigger buildings... I've never figured out how to be gracefully humble without appearing weak. Nor have I figured out how to be gracefully passionate without appearing arrogant. In the end, I always seem to be arrogant and weak instead of humbly passionate.

4th January 2006, 04:40 PM	#5
Dra'ki Areese Slave to emptiness Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 343 Gold: 70 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Taipei 101 Tower Causing Earthquakes? it might make it weigh more...and be doing so it places more focused pressure on the tectonic plates which causes the earthquakes... but that's just a guess... I've never figured out how to be gracefully humble without appearing weak. Nor have I figured out how to be gracefully passionate without appearing arrogant. In the end, I always seem to be arrogant and weak instead of humbly passionate.

4th January 2006, 05:04 PM	#6
Bo byebye sandland! less than 24hrs to go! Join Date: Sep 2005 Shard: Baja Posts: 2,527 Gold: 608 My Mood: Thanks: 0 Thanked 9 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Taipei 101 Tower Causing Earthquakes? I liked when our Sears tower was the biggest. Gave us Chicagoans something nice to brag about, other than Michael Jordan!

4th January 2006, 06:14 PM	#7
Mapper Europa for the win! Join Date: Jul 2005 Shard: Europa Posts: 285 Gold: 11 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Taipei 101 Tower Causing Earthquakes? I remember reading about that, Its still a nice building though!

4th January 2006, 06:37 PM	#8
Bo byebye sandland! less than 24hrs to go! Join Date: Sep 2005 Shard: Baja Posts: 2,527 Gold: 608 My Mood: Thanks: 0 Thanked 9 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Taipei 101 Tower Causing Earthquakes? I have seen the two towers that are connected together, the ones in Malaysia. Those are an AWESOME sight! Have you guys heard of the tower being planned in Dubai? It will overtake every building in the world as the ultimate structure. The concept pictures I have seen are amazing.

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