most modern techniques to deal with earthquakes are passive. Build buildings stronger or out of materials that react pleasantly to shaking (unlike babies). Counterweights and shock absorbers help in sky scrapers.

But most don't want to idly sit by and let the earthquake rattle them, praying the thicker walls will hold

behold the theory of phase cancellation (see links) Usually used on noise canceling ear phones (see links)

The same theory could be applied to earthquakes. Whose primary form of destruction is via surface waves.

By placing a building on top of a series of hydraulic jacks, and using a network of seismometers. The jacks could create an inverse wave form. Turning massive tremors into a slight nudging sensation. As an added bonus the technology could be sold in airline shopping magazines next to noise canceling headphone (think of the marketing tie-ins!)

This would help those pesky highway overpasses and sky scrapers from falling down or sustaining structural damage.
-- metarinka, Jan 21 2010

surface waves http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_wave
surface waves [metarinka, Jan 21 2010]

noise cancellation http://en.wikipedia.../Noise_cancellation
[metarinka, Jan 21 2010]

Phase Cancellation theory http://en.wikipedia.../Phase_cancellation
Phase cancellation [metarinka, Jan 21 2010]

Seismic Isolation http://www.seismicisolation.com/
Admittedly it's not quite a wheel. [Wrongfellow, Jan 21 2010]

Shameless self promo. Gyro_20Achitecture
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Jan 21 2010]

This will require vast inputs of energy.

So first, you have to protect power generation and transmission and distribution systems. That's going to use a lot of your available capacity before you actually save a single house...
-- 8th of 7, Jan 21 2010


Easier, shirley, to mount the whole building on wheels? Then the earth can slide to and forth beneath it as much as it likes.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jan 21 2010


So first, you have to protect power generation and transmission and distribution systems. That's going to use a lot of your available capacity before you actually save a single house...

A quake doesn't last that long. Perhaps gyroscopes or another similar device could be used to save enough energy for 1-2 minutes worth of hydraulic power.
-- metarinka, Jan 21 2010


//mount the whole building on wheels//

How about mounting the whole building on rubber shock absorbers? (link)
-- Wrongfellow, Jan 21 2010


//Perhaps gyroscopes or another similar device could be used//

Yep, but why waste all that inertia? [link]
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Jan 21 2010


If it's equal in strength to an earthquake, someone could quite easily destroy a city by hacking into the system.
-- mitxela, Jan 22 2010



random, halfbakery