Steel Structure：Toughness Guardian， A Solid Fortress Against Earthquakes and Winds
2025-10-14
Rising Steel Structure：Toughness Guardian， A Solid Fortress Against Earthquakes and Winds
The excellent ductility and toughness of steel structures are the key factors contributing to their outstanding performance in earthquake and wind resistance design. Good ductility means that after the structure is subjected to a force exceeding the yield point, it can still undergo significant plastic deformation without sudden fracture. This enables steel structures to have stronger deformation adaptability when bearing unexpected loads or under extreme working conditions, and they will not suffer brittle failure due to instantaneous overload. Toughness, on the other hand, reflects the ability of steel to absorb energy under impact loads. Excellent toughness allows steel structures to effectively resist the impact of dynamic loads such as seismic waves and strong winds.
These characteristics of steel structures are particularly important in earthquake-resistant design. When an earthquake occurs, the ground generates strong vibrations, and buildings are subjected to huge seismic forces. Relying on its good ductility and toughness, a steel structure can deform to a certain extent under the action of seismic forces, and absorb and dissipate seismic energy through its own deformation, thereby reducing the degree of damage to the structure caused by the earthquake.
Japan, for instance, is located in the circum-Pacific seismic belt and frequently experiences earthquakes. Therefore, steel structures are widely used in architectural design there. Take the Tokyo Skytree as an example, which has a height of 634 meters and is the second tallest self-supporting radio tower in the world. A large number of steel structures are adopted in its main structure, and full consideration is given to seismic performance during the design process. Through reasonable structural layout and joint design, and by utilizing the ductility and toughness of steel, it is ensured that in the event of a strong earthquake, the structure can consume seismic energy through its own deformation, maintain overall stability, effectively reduce the risk of damage to the tower caused by the earthquake, and provide a safe and reliable building facility for the public.
Similarly, during the 2011 Christchurch earthquake in New Zealand, some modern buildings using steel structures were impacted by the strong earthquake. However, due to the excellent seismic performance of steel structures, these buildings did not collapse during the earthquake, only showing a certain degree of deformation. This successfully protected the lives of people inside the buildings and also reduced property losses.
