Next in Tokyo, Japan, we'll take a look at the construction site of Tokyo Sky Tree, the tallest broadcasting tower in the world. Our correspondent spoke with the designer of Tokyo Sky Tree on how it was built to resist even the strongest earthquake in the country. Tokyo Sky Tree will become the world's tallest free standing broadcast tower, and is revealing its secret in overcoming earthquakes in quake-prone Japan. Standing over 630 meters high, Tokyo Sky Tree was designed by Nikken Sekkei, a Japanese architecture firm experienced in building quake-resistant, high-rise buildings in Japan. The company developed a system of adding mass as a balancing weight to buildings, to control how they sway during an earthquake. For the Tokyo Sky Tree project, the emergency staircase, situated in the core of the tower, acts as the mass, controlling sway during an earthquake. According to Nikken Sekkei, it's the first in the world. [Eizo Toyoda, P.R Manager, Nikken Sekkei]: "The core column and the surrounding steel frame are constructed separately. Therefore, when it shakes from an earthquake, they will shake in different ways. The system works by utilizing their different ways of shaking to repress the overall sway." Along the core, oil dampers are also installed to absorb shock. These act as cushions and are able to absorb swaying up to 50 percent. [Eizo Toyoda, P.R Manager, Nikken Sekkei]: "In the middle there's a space of about a meter, and from the height of 125 to 375 meters, we put six oil dampers. This is to control swaying so that the core column won't hit the inner part of the tower. They also serve to absorb the energy from an earthquake." The concept of using a central mass for the Tokyo Sky Tree was borrowed from traditional Japanese wisdom of building five-story pagodas. The longest standing pagoda in Japan is regarded to be at Horyu-ji Temple in Nara Prefecture, built in the 7th century. Tokyo Sky Tree will be opened to the public in May 2012 as Tokyo's newest landmark and popular tourist attraction. Liliana Yap, NTD, Tokyo, Japan For more news and videos visit ➡ ‪http://english.ntdtv.com‬ Follow us on Twitter ➡ ‪http://twitter.com/NTDTelevision‬ Add us on Facebook ➡ ‪http://on.fb.me/s5KV2C

Comments

1. herro
2. I think engineering like this deserves a Nobel prize
3. What about the earthquakes in Skopje Macedonia, they always start with up and down motion, always, and than short swinging that lasts not more than 5 sec?! We had M5.6 earthquake(epi 8km away) that made the 6 story building that i was in to move up and down, we ware jumping inside, we could not stand and than short gentle swinging started and that was it. 8 to 10 sec up and down and another 5 swinging.
4. Fools, you think engineering can withstand the power of Mother Nature? Nothing, I repeat, NOTHING, can withstand the full power of nature. A 9.0 magnitude quake or greater, would bring every single tower we've built, down in seconds. I've always believed that mans arrogance will be his own undoing. Japan, one of the most seismically active countries on the planet, should never have built nuclear plants or skyscrapers, yet, with typical arrogance and ignorance, that we can beat nature, we continue to do so....so I ask, what about Fukushima? Living proof that they're playing with fire, and will, in the end, be burned to dead, figuratively and literally. They have no respect for the raw, AWESOME power of nature, but one day soon, mark my words, they'll learn this lesson in a very painful way a thousands perish in structures they said were quake proof, bloody fools!
5. filipino is the best when it comes on architecture
6. cool
7. Hello
8. Fascinating.
9. I've been here already its very near to a temple and our apartment
10. 이응
11. Nick and Sick Gay
12. I hate Japan
13. super tall
14. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
15. Godzilla vs Tokyo sky tree
16. I'd be willing to bet Godzilla could still take it down.lol
17. wow........Japanese technology  is awesome.
18. Nyc
    
19. 00:04 I need her # so I can discuss swaying.