Japan Kobe Earthquake Shake Table Simulation – The Earthquake Performance of Multi-storey

On October 23rd 2007, a seven storey Cross Laminated Timber building was tested on the world’s largest earthquake shake table at Miki near Kobe in Japan. Cross laminated timber construction and the preliminary earthquake and fire tests are overviewed. The huge E-Defense shake table facility in Japan and the test building are described and the earthquake records used to test the building. The building performed well when subjected to the severe Kobe earthquake record. It had some minor softening and no residual deformation. Accelerations measured within the building were large and need further design consideration.