Engineering Perspective: Japan’s Earthquake

Structural engineer William J. Faschan, P.E., S.E. (NY D ’77), was a guest on Friday’s The Early Show to discuss how strict building codes in Japan limited the destruction from the 8.9 earthquake last week.

Mr. Faschan is a partner at LERA and has designed “hotels, sports stadiums, and museums around the world.” Click here to see his explanation for how Japan’s taller buildings actually make them safer.

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With the unmatched strength of the recent earthquake in Japan, The New York Times profiled the development of wireless infrastructure monitoring.

Using the Jindo Bridge in South Korea as the example, to show that the bridge’s sensors can send out warnings via email without wires. This would be very useful in the event of a power outage.

In the article, Dr. John W. Wallace, P.E. (VT A ’82), professor at UCLA, explains that a balance of human and wireless monitoring is the best way to assist bridge owners in making informed decision.

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Nuclear engineers at the University of California, Berkeley, continue to monitor the situation in Japan.

One of Japan’s oldest nuclear power plants, the Fukushima Daiichi plant, has been shut down and has experienced a reactor leak. There is fear that there could be a core meltdown, which would have catastrophic consequences. Read the article for information on Japan’s nuclear power plants and steps being taken to prevent further radioactivity.

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