--- title: "Huge Pendulum in Skyscraper Protected It When Epic Earthquake Struck" description: "A massive ball suspended inside Taiwan's iconic Taipei 101 skyscraper protected the structure during the 7.4-magnitude earthquake this week." date: "2024-04-04" modified: "2024-04-04" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/huge-pendulum-skyscraper-protected-earthquake" categories: - "Science & Energy" tags: - "earthquakes" - "skyscraper" - "taipei" - "the digest" --- # Huge Pendulum in Skyscraper Protected It When Epic Earthquake Struck ![A massive ball suspended inside Taiwan's iconic Taipei 101 skyscraper protected the structure during the 7.4-magnitude earthquake this week.]() *\Image: Taipei 101\* ## Unwrecking Ball A 730-ton steel ball suspended inside Taiwan's iconic Taipei 101 skyscraper protected the structure during the region's 7.4-magnitude earthquake this week. The ball is visible to the public on the skyscraper's 89th-floor observatory and has become a popular tourist attraction. While it's also a beautiful object in and of itself, it serves an important role as a "tuned mass damper," which is a pendulum that reduces "[violent swinging]()" and "vigorous shaking" of the building in strong winds — and during earthquakes. And as [CCTV footage]() of the city's skyline shows, the system works astonishingly well, stopping the 101-floor tower from significantly swaying — a magnificent feat of engineering that relies only on simple physics. ## Seismic Safety The earthquake, the [strongest in 25 years](), struck Taiwan early Wednesday morning, killing at least nine people. Many structures fared far worse than the skyscraper, with [videos]() showing several mid-rise buildings collapsing. Taipei 101, however, was well equipped to survive the earthquake — and not just due to its massive, suspended dampener. The building's foundations are connected to the ground below via 380 piles that were driven over 260 feet into the ground and almost 100 feet straight into the bedrock. A [video]() shows the damper dramatically swaying during a 6.8-magnitude earthquake in 2022. Plenty of other tall structures also rely on tuned mass dampers, which can sway side to side to counteract oscillations caused by earthquakes. Other approaches include diagonal braces between floors, [shear walls]() that take the brunt of the forces, and [dampers]() that physically reduce vibrations. A particularly complex approach called "seismic base isolation" involves disconnecting an entire building from its substructure — in some cases literally putting it on rollers — to allow it to move more freely during seismic activity. This approach has already been [implemented]() in several major municipal buildings across the US. Thanks to Taiwan's location right on top of the "Ring of Fire," an extremely seismically and volcanically active region along the Pacific, it likely won't be long until the next earthquake hits. But thanks to some clever engineering, those visiting the city's iconic tower will be safe. **More on seismology:** *[The Earth's Crust Flipped Upside Down in This Spot, Scientists Find]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()