Seismic

Because the safety of manufacturing guarantees people’s wellness and saves human lives

Made of steel and carbon fibre, the anti-seismic device Sismocell, developed by Reglass following the 2012 earthquake in northern Italy.

On May 20th and 29th 2012, a big earthquake devastated Northern Italy. Six provinces were hit by the seismic waves: Bologna, Modena, Reggio Emilia, Ferrara, Mantova and Rovigo.

In addition to the loss of human lives and the damage to historical buildings and homes, the economy of the whole area was deeply struck. This seismic vulnerability emerged and is highlighted when it comes to prefabricated industrial constructions, in particular when beams and pillars are only leaning against them. Numerous collapses and great damage of this kind extended the negative effects on the manufacturing industry.

Sismocell, the steel and carbon fibre device, came to life on the idea of creating a particular combination of these materials, so as to develop an effective antiseismic device.

It is a cylinder-controlled plastic cell that has to be mounted between beam pillars on prefabricated structures. Besides constituting a connection between them, it also, within certain limits, consents to amortize the quakes, through a dissipating effect in fusion.

This is Reglass’s debut in the building sector. After a few years a second device, Sismocell Box, has been developed. The operation is similar but is used to mend the structural deficiencies of beam-covering elements.