Seismic improvement of buildings: the shock transmitter

To carry out seismic improvement work in certain special cases, we determine whether it is best to install a shock transmitter, a cutting-edge device for reducing seismic risk.

Seriana’s team of highly specialist engineers and installers has gained extensive experience in the specific earthquake strengthening industry. Years of work and knowledge-building in this field, combined with a wealth of constantly updated expertise, put us in a great position to be able to implement the most suitable and effective measures based on the buildings’ individual features.

It follows that make-safe operations and seismic upgrades to code must be selected carefully based on the type of building and surrounding environment.

It is key to realize that seismic risk is not determined just by the area and conformation of the land, and instead also depends on the type and inherent characteristics of the buildings and of the site as a whole.

Shock transmitter

In the specific case whereby two buildings are adjacent and have different volumes, seismic risk is greater. In the event of a rather powerful earthquake, the two buildings would sway. Hence it is essential to take prompt action before that can happen.

The product of engineering expertise, the shock transmitter is an effective instrument that can be used to prevent so-called pounding.

The shock transmitter device, which is installed when there is a need to create a rigid and non-dissipative connection between two different structures, is triggered when an earthquake hits, while still allowing for slow movements during the building’s regular service life, acting as a sort of shock absorber.

Where so agreed with the client, we can determine whether the site requires the installation of this type of device during inspection of the buildings we have been engaged to remediate.

In 2019, a bank of shock transmitters was successfully installed at the premises of Sandrini Metalli, a company based in Costa Volpino in the province of Bergamo, as part of a wider seismic improvement project being undertaken on the buildings.

The innovative approach allowed us to reduce the invasiveness of the work considerably without needing to make any substantial changes to the company layout and, with some of the work carried out at night, we were able to close out the project in just 20 days.

We are always mindful of the client’s real needs and cater to these needs by drawing on the most cutting-edge know-how in the industry with a view to bringing safety into workplaces.