Seismic Protection

Earthquakes can cause bridges to swing and oscillate in both vertical and horizontal directions. Depending on the strength of the earthquake, the bridge can sustain damage or, in the worst case, there could be complete destruction of bridge elements or even total collapse.

Shock absorbers counter these oscillations to prevent permanent damage and/or collapse of the bridge. They shall maintain the serviceability of the bridge given such a disaster situation. Bridges cross an otherwise impassable obstacle like a river or gorge and are often a vital link for the population in general and emergency service and rescue vehicles in disaster situations. A bridge in an earthquake prone area can not afford to be out of action.

mageba shock absorbers are hydraulic shock absorbers and are specially designed to improve the efficiency of bridges through energy absorption under dynamic conditions (e.g. from earthquake movements).

mageba differentiates between linear and non-linear shock absorbers. Non-linear shock absorbers are more effective because they more closely represent the exponential increase in energy dissipation of large ground movements during an earthquake. The amount of energy transmitted to bridge foundations during large ground movements can be several orders of magnitude greater than the energy transmitted from small movements. An appropriate response to these non-linear increases in transferred energy from earthquake movements can be provided by the mageba hydraulic shock absorbers. Thus the bridge structure can be protected from damage or collapse.

Ever more frequently in earthquake prone areas, new bridge constructions incorporate earthquake proof designs and many existing bridges are being retrofitted with earthquake protection mechanisms. mageba shock absorbers offer a simple and economical solution that incorporates today’s most advanced technology in earthquake protection for bridge structures.

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