Originally published on Apr 1, 2024
On January 1, 2024, at around 4:10 PM, a powerful earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. The Japan Meteorological Agency named it the Reiwa 6 Noto Peninsula Earthquake (Japanese: 令和6年能登半島地震 / れいわろくねんのとはんとうじしん), also known as the New Year's Day Ishikawa Earthquake. The earthquake had a magnitude of Mj 7.6, with a maximum intensity reaching the highest level of 7 on the Japan Meteorological Agency's seismic intensity scale and IX on the Mercalli intensity scale (destructive).
Building Name: Komatsu City Fire Department Headquarters & Komatsu City Disaster Prevention Center
Location: Ho-110-1 Soncho, Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan
Construction Year: Completed April 16, 1999
General Designer: Urban Environment Design
Structural Designer: Tokyo Institute of Architecture
Constructor: Takenaka Corporation and other specific construction project consortium
Structure Type: Reinforced concrete (RC)
Floors: 4 floors
Height: 18.7 meters
Total Floor Area: 3,899 square meters
Building Area: 1,042 square meters
Seismic Isolation Layer Location: Below the foundation
Usage: Fire department headquarters
Seismic Isolation Layer Condition:
Laminated Rubber: Completely undamaged. Residual deformation of the laminated rubber is almost unnoticeable.
Maintenance Issues: Although not caused by the earthquake but by maintenance, minor rust and peeling of the coating were found on the flange and steel damper parts of the laminated rubber, but it is not believed to affect the seismic isolation function.
Equipment Piping: Undamaged.
Suspended System: No residual displacement was observed.
Seismic Treatment: Equipment, piping, and cables were carefully seismically treated and completely undamaged.
Summary of Seismic Performance Post-Earthquake:
Structural Integrity: The building's structure remained intact after the earthquake, with no significant damage or destruction observed, proving the effectiveness of the seismic isolation structure.
Internal Safety: No furniture fell or collapsed inside the building, indicating the seismic isolation effectively protected the safety of people and property inside.
Functional Maintenance: Internal equipment and facilities were undamaged, ensuring the operational capabilities of the fire department and disaster prevention center during the earthquake.
Ground Stability: No liquefaction was observed in the surrounding ground, and the foundation design of the seismically isolated building effectively maintained stability.
Seismic Device Effectiveness: The seismic device (EXP.J) exhibited an exemplary simple structure with no damage, proving its effectiveness during the earthquake.
Overall, the seismic performance post-earthquake demonstrated that the building's stability and functionality were effectively maintained. The seismic isolation structure and devices played a critical role in ensuring the safe operation of the building and its functions during the earthquake.
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