Recent earthquakes around the world have confirmed the potential for a large seismic event to cause unprecedented levels of destruction. Shock transmission units (STUs) have been used in several projects as one of the most effective instruments in preventing widespread damage from seismic activities and structural movement. Shock Transmission Units in Construction is the first book to explore the procurement, selection, testing, installation and maintenance processes of STUs, as well as technological developments in the field of seismic protection.
This book covers the use of STUs as both a preventative measure, fitted to a structure before a seismic occurrence, and as a seismic protection system, retrofitted to prevent further damage. Drawing on his experiences of supervising the construction of the first bridges in India and the Philippines to use STUs, Dinesh Patel explores the application of STUs on a number of different projects, including new and existing highway and rail bridges, suspension and cable stayed bridges, buildings, structures, nuclear power plants and pipelines.
Shock Transmission Units in Construction contains case studies, photographs and illustrative diagrams to provide a clear guide to the application of STUs in numerous construction projects, as well as:
- A thorough introduction to this widely-practiced, but still little understood engineering practice, challenging critics by demonstrating the benefits and reliability of STUs in various contexts.
- A study of current STU brands and manufacturers, and the ways in which different types of STUs have been used in existing projects.
- Examples of STU application in India, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Hong Kong, Denmark, Rome, Italy, UK, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Laos, Indonesia, Canada, USA and the UK.
- An analysis of the cost efficiency of retro-fitting practices.
Shock Transmission Units in Construction aims to provide best practice guidance in helping both new and experienced engineers to select the most appropriate STU for construction projects, thus ensuring that they are used to their full potential. It is hoped that this will lead to more varied usage and the development of innovative STU derivatives for application in future projects
About the Author Dinesh J. Patel, MEngSc, FIEAust, CPEng, FIBE, MIHT, was a structural engineer and member of the Institution of Civil Engineers. He devoted the majority of his career to the research and application of STUs in structural design and in particular their application in bridges. He led numerous projects around the world which made use of STUs, including the Second Bassein Creek Bridge at Mumbai, which was the first highway bridge in India to have STUs installed. He has written numerous papers and case study articles on the subject. He passed away in November 2009. Technical Editor As the author is deceased, a technical editor would be required to tidy up the manuscript, implement reviewers' suggestions (where deemed necessary) and be available for the copy editing and proof reading process. Dr Beile Yin of Hardesty & Hanover (US) has volunteered to take on this role and already suggested a way in which the book might be better organised (see reviews). Dr Yin is the Hardesty & Hanover seismic analysis expert and has worked on seismic design for retro-fits and new bridges. He has BSc and MSc degrees from China and earned a Ph.D. from North Carolina State University in 1986. Yin applied STUs to a new large bridge in New York State, which is currently under construction and now almost completed.
