American company launches quake safety devices in India

New Delhi, Oct 12 (UNI) After making a dent into markets of Japan, Taiwan and China, US-based Taylor Devices Inc is now eyeing the emerging real estate sector of India and offering its Fluid Viscous Dampers for the safety of high rise buildings, bridges, or any structure that is subject to damage during earthquakes.

Keeping in view the economic growth and the projections made for the immediate future, coupled with the heightened seismic activity in the region over the past few years, Taylor Devices has launched its operations in India.

Taylor Devices are the manufacturers of Fluid Viscous Dampers for the earthquake protection of buildings and Shock Transmission Units for protection of bridges and flyovers.

For the owner of a property, even a Earthquake Resistant building does not provide any guarantee that it would be habitable after a major tremor.

The quake will structurally damage the building and incase the damage is above a threshold level there would be no option but to demolish and re-construct the building.

These earthquake dampers function as shock absorbers whenever the building is in motion during a tremor and prevent it from swaying excessively. The seismic energy is absorbed by the dissipators, reducing the building sway and thus preventing any structural damage.

In most structures, the Dampers stay hidden in partition walls and inconspicuous locations and, therefore, are not visible to occupants of such buildings.

The earthquake dampers ensure that the building stays unharmed.

The technology patented by Taylor Devices was initially used by the US defence services and the aerospace missions of NASA.

''In about 15 years of active earthquake related applications Taylor Devices has emerged as a clear leader with over 220 projects to its credit. It has its operations in nearly all seismically active regions of the world,'' says Mr Sandeep Donald Shah, Director, Taylor Devices (India).

The associated cost of Taylor Devices technology for Indian buildings can be optimally configured for as low as Rs 150 to Rs 200 per square foot, he added.

These dampers come with a performance warranty of 35 years though their actual life is far greater, he said and added that for many clients much of the cost gets offset by virtue of lower insurance premiums and loans at much attractive interest rates due to lesser risk their businesses are exposed to.

Based on aerospace technology developed for the MX Missile and Stealth Bomber, these Dampers have been proved in extensive tests at the Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (MCEER) at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

The Dampers can be incorporated into a newly designed structure or retrofit to existing structures to extend their ability to survive seismic events.

The Taylor dampers have a successful history of more than 40 years of use by the U S Government and U S Heavy Industry. Taylor has produced over two million such Dampers since 1955, designed and manufactured at a single site in North Tonawanda, NY, USA.

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